A Different Story
by Exalted Fellblood
Summary: He opened his eyes to see a blue-haired swordmaster, a young princess, and a battle-hardened veteran with an extreme sense of duty. He can't remember his own name, and she won't tell him hers. This story will focus on Robin and "Marth" as they 'tip the scales' from outside Chrom's Shepherds. It may deviate from the game in other, minor ways.
1. The Divergence of History

**A Different Story**

The Divergence of History

The world was... black. Or maybe dark gray. In any case, it was very dark. Was it navy blue, or- wait, was there a noise? It must have been silent before, because there was definitely a noise now, and it was different. Different from the silence, of course. He was pretty sure he hadn't heard another noise in a long time.

That sound, though - it was, what's it called... a voice. He was pretty sure it was called a voice, when a person was speaking. ...Hang on, a... a person? A voice had to belong to a person. Why couldn't he **see** the person? It was the voice of... a man? No, a woman's voice. He really couldn't tell.

A light! He had been so distracted by the voice that he hadn't noticed the faint light growing. The world was definitely gray now. The light, it was blurry, but it seemed... natural. Like sunlight. Sunlight... which meant he was outside. Outside. Inside. People, places, moving, feeling - he was starting to remember.

He stared at the blurry light. The world may have been gray before, but there was definitely blue now. It looked vaguely like a person.

"I see you're awake now."

It was definitely a person, and they were definitely outside. They... **they** included himself. Himself! He had to be a person, too. Moving, he thought to himself. _I can move._ The person, the man he saw, reached a hand out to help him up. _Move_ **_my_** _hand now,_ he instructed himself. _Take his hand._

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know." He could **see** the man speak, now.

His vision came back in full, now, though he was very light-headed. The man wore blue, and had blue hair.

"Are you alright?" the man asked. He must have expressed his pain somehow, though he couldn't remember doing so. Perhaps he grunted or groaned.

"Y-yes... thank you. I'm just a bit... dizzy, I guess." So that was what speaking felt like.

"Good," the man sighed. "Might I ask why you're lying around in this field all alone?"

"I don't know. All I know is... is... gods, what's my name?" He was a person, so he ought to have a name, right?

"You don't know your own name?" the man asked, astounded.

"I'm afraid not, sorry," he apologized.

"Don't be. There's a town nearby. Perhaps if you rested there, you might recall something," the man suggested.

"Yes, perhaps. Speaking of towns, where am I, exactly?" he wondered.

"You truly remember nothing? Then, to answer your question, this is the halidom of Ylisse."

"Ylisse... and you said there was a town nearby?" he asked.

"Yes, it's only half a mile up this road," the man confirmed. "Shall we depart?"

"I suppose we might as well. While we walk, though, would you mind telling me more about these lands?"

"Huh? As in geography, politics, history..." the man inquired.

"Anything sounds good, really," he determined. "I just enjoy learning new things. I think."

"Very well. As I stated earlier, we are in Ylisse. To our west is Plegia, and Regna Ferox lies to the north. On our south and east borders are oceans, and no other kingdoms can be found on this continent."

"Is Ylisse at war?"

"... not yet." the man alluded.

"Not yet? What does **that** mean?" he asked, confused.

"Gangrel, King of Plegia, wishes for a war, but were he to declare it, he would lose his people's support. Instead, he sends small bands of mercenaries and bandits across the border, hoping the Exalt will retaliate."

"This Exalt, he is your king?"

"She is the **Queen** of Ylisse, yes," the man corrected.

"Ahh. That's quite a situation she's in. Does she show signs of giving in?" he wondered.

"Not at all. The Exalt is Ylisse's symbol for peace. It seems she would rather die than go to war," the man explained. "But until something is done, the villages suffer from-"

"Fire, and ruffians."

"Exactly," the man affirmed.

"No, look! The town, ... it's on fire!"

"... so it is. That is one such group from Plegia, I presume," the man spat in contempt. "I can fight. Can you?"

"I... have a sword. I suppose that means I can."

"Make haste, then," the man urged.

The pair rushed to the village, but as they neared, they could see a man in sky blue and gray armor holding a silver lance. The knight confronted a trio of mercenaries alone. The knight's horse reared, and when it landed on its front feet again, it rammed into the first ruffian, while its owner drove his lance into the second's stomach. The third, a mage, nearly removed his enemy from his mount, but in missing, was immediately impaled by the knight's weapon.

"That man... who is he?" he wondered.

"That is a member of the Shepherds, an elite team of fighters. They are the royal army's strike force during war, and in peacetime, they dedicate themselves to the protection of Ylisse's commonfolk. It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume there are several others down there, as well," the man informed him.

"We should help!" he exclaimed.

"You should rest," the man declared. "When I say they are skilled, I mean it. They can handle this."

"... if you say so," he complied. "Still, if they start to lose, I'm going down to help."

"Very well," the man allowed, "but don't worry. The one you see is Frederick the Wary. They say he once took on fifty soldiers single-handedly."

"Do you believe it?"

"I'm not sure, but either way, I'm certain he can hold his own against a couple of thugs," the man reassured him.

"Robin."

"... sorry?"

"My name is Robin. ... I just remembered that. Nothing else, though."

"Robin... is that foreign? Except you wouldn't remember," the man pondered.

"And you?" he questioned.

"Me?"

"What's your name?"

"My name... you may call me "Marth"."

* * *

 **Hey there! I'd ask you how you're doing, but I'm sure you know what's wrong with that. Anyway, I'm Exalted Fellblood (that's** ** _definitely_** **not a reference), and this is my first FanFiction work. You can probably tell that I'm a bit weird, and if you're normal, you're probably thinking I'm more than a bit weird. Let's stop talking about me, though, and start talking about my stuff. And by 'stuff', I mean story.**

 **This story will focus on the default male avatar Robin and the heroic king of old... *ahem*... I mean time-traveling princess Lucina as they try to save the world and protect Chrom from the sidelines. Eventually, they will meet up with Lucina's friends from the future, and rest assured, when I say 'from the sidelines', I mean that they will not join the Shepherds, at least not for a while. They** ** _will_** **see plenty of battles of their own.**

 **As for reviews, I'd love to hear what you have to say. Be it criticism or encouragement or both, I will try to take each into consideration. In terms of chapters, expect them to be longer than this, as it was just a prologue. Also, I should be able to write a new one each month, but hopefully I will be able to settle into a more regular schedule soon. Thanks for reading, and then doing whatever else it is you do when you read a story. Favorites are nice, but if this _isn't_ one of your favorites, do the _other_ authors a favor and leave that button alone. Also, if anyone has cover art that they would like to share, I'm open to looking at some, and I'll credit in the Author's Notes ****any artist** **whose work I use.**

 **Just to be clear, I do not own Fire Emblem or any of its characters; they belong to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.**

 **Thanks again for reading,**

 **-Exalted Fellblood**


	2. A Welcome Change

**I have more Author's Notes at the bottom, so I'll keep this short. I don't own Fire Emblem or any of its characters; they belong to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. Also, I only wrote from Robin's perspective during the prologue, but I will write from his _and_ Lucina's points of view throughout this chapter, so be aware.**

* * *

A Welcome Change

"We should have stayed," Robin muttered in indignation. Leaving the town to its recovery seemed fairly irresponsible, but Marth had insisted they leave.

"What could we have done?" Marth asked. "We do not have the time or the money to aid with repairs."

"I had time," Robin pointed out.

"They need supplies and rations from the capitol, not another mouth to feed," Marth stated bluntly. "Besides, when one of the villagers asked who you were, what would you have told them?"

"I-I... No, you're right..." Robin conceded. After watching the battle unfold from atop the adjacent hill, he had been amazed at how quickly those "Shepherds" had disposed of the raiders. Upon their immediate exit from the scene, however, he'd wondered what could bring a group of 'heroes' to abandon a town which had been nearly obliterated by the roaring flames. Now, though, after hearing Marth's explanation, he had little room to argue, and he went so far as to curse inwardly at himself for being so naïve. Acting rashly was unlike him. _Wait- how do I know that? Maybe I'm actually a very poor decision maker._

Particularly embarrassed by his own thoughtlessness, he resolved to try conversing, if only to avert his own thoughts from his mistake.

"So what's with the mask?" _Seriously?! Am I **that** stupid?_

"What's with the hood?" he returned flatly.

Robin certainly hadn't expected that response, and honestly, he hadn't even realized he was wearing a hood. It startled him, to say the least.

"I'm not really sure," he admitted.

"I really should have expected as much," Marth replied. "I wear this mask to disguise my identity. Is that not what masks are for?"

"Yes, it is... but why is it a butterfly? Is that significant?" Robin pressed, content with where this conversation was heading.

Marth remained silent for several seconds while Robin's mind momentarily drifted to other thoughts. Removing his hood, he was now able to digest his surroundings more properly. All around him were tall and strong trees with a thick leaf covering, and the canopy was a very deep green. Several varieties of late-blooming flowers could be seen scattered throughout the lightly wooded area, indicating that it was currently early summer. The sky was dimming, and the occasional owl let out a hoot which echoed through the trees. The majority of the forest's crickets were chirping now, and all the while he could hear his boots pressing down against the long, soft patches of grass.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Marth responded, finally.

"What?" Robin wore a confused expression.

"You asked about the significance of my mask, but... I'm afraid it's a private matter," Marth provided.

"I see," Robin respectfully retreated.

Marth looked Robin in the eyes, and as far as Robin could tell, this was the first time Marth had seen his face. Marth stopped dead in his tracks, transfixed on where Robin had just been.

"Are we stopping?" Robin inquired. "Should we set up camp?"

Marth gave no response.

"Marth?"

* * *

 _Lucina sprinted across the garden with wooden sword in hand. She chopped, slashed, and stabbed at imaginary soldiers, bellowing a victory cry with each enemy she felled. As she readied to strike an oncoming foe, she felt her feet lift off the ground._

 _"Uncle Robin, I'm too big for you to pick me up," Lucina complained._

 _"I don't know, it was pretty easy." he joked, heaving her over his shoulder and moving toward a bench at the garden's far side._

 _"I meant I'm too **old**. I'm turning nine years old next week," she amended._

 _Robin sat down, setting the princess on his lap. "I have to do it while I still can. Your dad always mentions that you're growing up too fast, and I agree."_

 _Lucina sighed and continued. "I was fighting soldiers, and you stopped me."_

 _"Why were you doing that?" He asked, curious._

 _"Because they're bad guys, and Dad always fights the bad guys. That's why I want to learn to fight," she explained._

 _"Ok..." Robin pondered. "When you play, and there aren't any bad guys, what do you do?"_

 _"Hmm... I don't know. There are always bad guys."_

 _"That's what I thought." He glanced around. "Do you see that butterfly?" He pointed at a blue-winged insect flying alongside a large tree._

 _"Yeah, I see it," she affirmed._

 _"That butterfly goes to all the flowers on the tree. Do you know what happens to the tree in the fall?"_

 _"It grows apples!" Lucina recalled, delighted at the thought._

 _"Yes, it does," he confirmed. "Ms. Miriel says that the butterfly makes the apples grow."_

 _"A butterfly can do that?" she wondered, amazed._

 _"I don't know how it does it, but... Don't you think the tree is better with apples?"_

 _"Of course! Apples are delicious."_

 _"Your aunt Emmeryn was like that butterfly. She didn't fight or battle or anything like that; she helped people, and everywhere she went, she would make the world a little bit better- sort of like how the butterfly makes the tree better."_

 _"So... I shouldn't fight," Lucina dropped her head, frowning._

 _"Not so fast, kid," Robin cautioned. "I'm not done yet. Your aunt helped a lot of people, but some bad guys came and wanted to stop her. They tried to attack her, but when they did, do you know what your dad did?"_

 _"He fought them!" she lit up._

 _"That's exactly what he did. He fought against them so people like his sister could still help people and keep making the world better."_

 _"Then I can still fight, too?" she hoped._

 _"Of course you can," Robin assured her. "But when you do, just remember **why** you should fight."_

 _"Ok, Uncle Robin, I'll try to remember," Lucina agreed._

 _The eight-year-old hopped down from her uncle's lap and returned to her battle to save the world._

* * *

This man - Lucina was certain she had never met him before. When she saw his face, though, she felt a twinge of familiarity, and she had no idea why. The name Robin sounded Plegian, and his attire - the purple and black robes he wore and the underlying layer of golden-white armor - seemed only to confirm her belief. The single discrepancy was his voice; he spoke with a clearly Ylissean accent. Whatever the case, though, she was determined to watch him closely, no matter what.

"Marth!" Robin called, alarmed.

Lucina shook her head. "Sorry. What is it?" _If I am going to go by the name 'Marth', then I will have to respond to it._

"It's dark, and you haven't moved or spoken for almost fifteen minutes, even when I hollered at you," Robin said concerned. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I was just... maybe we should set up camp now," she deflected. Frankly, this character was surprisingly non-suspicious, but she still couldn't let her guard down.

"Alright. I'll start gathering wood for a fire," he decided, but only four steps later, his stomach rumbled audibly.

Lucina reached into the satchel at her side, pulling out a lightly bruised apple. "Here. Eat this," she offered tossing the fruit to her companion. "We will have to leave very early tomorrow morning if we are going to reach Ylisstol by sundown, so we will not have any time to hunt tonight."

Robin took a large bite from the apple, barely taking time to chew before swallowing. He continued to attack the fruit with an intensity which reflected the emptiness of his stomach. When he had finished, he stared questioningly at Lucina. "Aren't you going to eat something?"

"That was my last one, but do not worry; I will be fine," she explained.

Robin stared guiltily at the core in his hand, seeming to regret stuffing his face so recklessly.

"It is fine," she reassured him. "I can go days without eating if necessary."

Somehow, her statement didn't seem to comfort him. She began clearing out an area for the fire, but it quickly became apparent that she would need to uproot several patches of grass to create a ring large enough to contain the blaze.

Robin, however, now lacked the energy he had had shortly before, and it was clear that he was frustrated with himself. After a significant amount of time, however, they had successfully managed to light a small fire.

"Alright," Lucina said. "There is no use putting sleep off any longer."

"I agree." Robin yawned as if on cue, pulling his hood up to cushion his head.

She watched as he closed his eyes, but her peace of mind was short-lived.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" he asked, confused.

Lucina remained silent.

Pondering the situation, Robin slowly removed his sword from his belt. Before Lucina could react, he spoke. "Here, take this." She grasped the hilt of the blade.

"Now will you sleep?"

"... Very well," she agreed. It was shocking, to say the least, that he not only recognized the cause of her apprehension, but also that he was willing to trust her with his weapon so readily. Fortunately, though, she could sleep without worry now.

* * *

Lucina awoke early that morning to the sound of meat roasting over the fire. "What... what is that?" She tried to rub her eyes, but she was stopped short when her fingers met her mask, which she hadn't removed the previous night.

"It's bear," Robin answered. "Do you want some?"

"Hold on. How did you kill a bear when I had your sword?" she questioned, removing her acquaintance's blade.

"Oh, right... Well first, I climbed a tree-"

"In full armor," she interjected.

"Yeah... After a while, a bear walked by; it was only about my size, so I jumped on it. Luckily, the weight of the fall crippled it, so I was able to stay on its back, where it couldn't reach me. After that, I wrapped my arms around its neck and strangled it."

"... You strangled a bear?" Lucina stared at him in utter disbelief.

"... Yes?" He cringed slightly, not knowing what sort of reaction to expect.

"No one is that strong."

"Well, it wasn't so much a matter of strength," he clarified. "It's a lot easier when you know where on the throat to put pressure. And like I said, the bear was small, around my size."

"How can someone who can not even remember where they are from remember how to strangle a bear?" Lucina asked skeptically.

Robin shrugged. "You'd better have something to eat before we go." He pointed to the carcass lying behind him. "Hand me my sword and I'll cut off another piece."

After she returned the weapon, he used it to remove a large chunk of meat from the bear's shoulder, skewering it with a long, sturdy stick, which he then held over the fire.

"This one's done now," he said, offering her the piece which he had already been cooking for some time.

 _Maybe I should have been worried to sleep last night, after all._ "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," he replied.

After several minutes of cooking his food, Robin removed it from its position over the fire. He began to gorge himself, eating with no amount of etiquette or cleanliness. Lucina, who was still enjoying the last few bites of her meal, found herself finishing shortly _after_ Robin, who had now ceased looking like a ravaging wolf devouring his prey and now appeared as a normal, calm person.

"You didn't happen to find somewhere to refill our canteens, did you?" she hoped.

Robin held up two containers, tossing one to her, and she could hear water splashing inside. "How did you..." she started.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't want to wake you up."

"No, _how_? I'm usually a very light sleeper." _Maybe I am still asleep. I hope that is the case._

"Huh? Oh!" he snickered. "I have a spare. I couldn't steal anything from anybody, really."

Lucina glanced down to see her canteen right where she left it, tied to her belt. She then sighed in relief. "We should probably head out."

"Yeah, I think you're right. I'll put out the fire," he volunteered, and then dug up some dirt and choked out the flames with it, leaving only cinders and ashes alongside the bear's corpse.

"Maybe we-" As Robin tried to stand, he was knocked off his feet by a massive tremor.

"We should find out what caused that," she proposed, though she was fairly certain she already knew. She had been on both sides of it, after all, and the event had become familiar, almost normal to her.

Right on cue, a bright blue light appeared in the sky a short distance away. As the pair ran closer to where they had determined it would be, the apparent source of light seemed to open up, like the eye of a waking beast. Finally, as she predicted, undead warriors began spilling out of the glowing orb Lucina knew as a time portal.

"Draw your sword," she whispered.

"You don't have to tell me twice," he muttered. They had reached the clearing where the creatures were scattered, and she was preparing to charge in without a second thought.

"Hang on just a second. There have got to be about a dozen of them out there," he estimated.

"These things - they're practically animals. We can beat them," Lucina insisted.

"Not easily. They could surround us, and I doubt either of us could fend off more than two at once, if that. No, we need a plan if we're going to take them out," Robin argued.

"Do you have one in mind?"

"Yeah. Do you see that old fort out there?" he pointed to the far right of the clearing.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"I'll lure them over there. These things don't seem coordinated enough to outrun me, and if I can reach it safely, I should only have to fight one at a time. Meanwhile, you can sneak up on the ones that fall behind. You'll have to be fairly stealthy to keep from being overwhelmed, but I think you can handle that. Am I right?"

"Yes, I can do that."

"Alright, then let's go."

* * *

Robin began to walk the perimeter of the clearing. He wanted to get as far as he could without running, both to preserve energy and to ensure that he wouldn't be swarmed immediately after reaching the fortress. Marth was hidden now, but Robin could tell the swordsman was watching him carefully.

As he was nearing the halfway mark, he realized one monster had inadvertently wandered into his path. His enemy wielded an axe, which he realized gave himself a distinct advantage. The beast would likely be slow having to lug around the heavy instrument, and although the axe was significantly more powerful due to its weight, His bronze sword would be strong enough to deflect a blow if handled properly. At the same time, the sword was light enough not to hinder his movements, so he would be able to dodge most of the incoming strikes.

He charged at his opponent, who then took notice of him provoking the beast into a dead sprint, and it closed the gap quickly. The monster swung his axe down, narrowly missing its target. Robin, who had dodged to the right of his enemy, took the opportunity to step on the axe's lowered handle, lodging the weapon into the ground. He then stabbed his adversary through, right where its heart may or may not have been. The creature immediately dissipated into a purple smoke. _I may not remember much, but I'm pretty sure that's not normal._

At this point, the remainder of the creatures save one had taken notice of him and were advancing on him. Sprinting to the shelter, he arrived easily before his foes, and on the far side of the field, he could make out Marth challenging the one beast that hadn't taken notice of his charge on the fort. The thing was disposed of just as an undead swordsman approached Robin. Easily deflecting its haphazard swings, he quickly decapitated it, preparing for his next opponent. Meanwhile, Marth was fighting a lancer, while his second victim already vanished behind him.

Another axeman was about to reach Robin, but given his limited space in the fortress's entrance, he had no choice but to take the incoming swing head on in an attempt to block it. Grabbing the tip of his blade with his free left hand, he carefully but quickly placed the flat edge of his sword under the axe's blunt edge. After several exhausting seconds of a forceful contest of strength, he was surprised to see his enemy remove its weapon from the deadlock, giving him the chance to slice the beast up the middle. During the skirmish, Marth, who had finally bested the lancer, encountered a swordsman who had turned from Robin to face him.

As they fought, a lancer neared Robin, and the amnesiac quickly began to assess the situation. His sword lacked the weight needed to properly sever the lance's wooden shaft, and the increased range put him at a disadvantage. Coupled with the fact that any attempt to deflect a strike would merely redirect it as the lance would easily slide past his sword, it became apparent that he would have considerable difficulty dealing with this foe, especially since he was still recovering from his encounter with the axeman.

As the beast arrived at the fort, it thrust its lance without hesitation, and he retaliated by slashing downward at the weapon. As predicted, the lance merely shifted from its intended target, his heart, to his upper-left leg.

"Nngh...! Damn it..." he whispered.

Clutching the lance, he pulled it from his wound and proceeded to wrestle it from his opponent. Casting the weapon aside, he then cut off the head of the disarmed beast.

During the skirmish, Marth downed the swordsman and an axeman, and now he was stuck in a deadlock with another axeman, similar to how Robin had been. The only other enemy remaining, a swordsman, had turned to take a cheap shot at Marth. Robin tried to run to his aid, but his leg injury, together with his exhaustion, promised to keep him from intervening.

"Marth! Behind you!" Robin shouted. Marth glanced backward in response, but he was helpless to do anything.

As the creature drew back its sword, Robin thrust his hand forward as if trying to push the monster away, and from his fingertips came a jolt of thunder.

* * *

Lucina approached the final Risen, itching to be done with the battle. As it swung downward, she caught its axe with Falchion, bringing the encounter to a stand-still. _Gods, this thing is strong. It must be their leader._

Failing to overpower it, she immediately regretted not dodging the attack. She felt her knees buckle under the weight, but she refused to give in.

"Marth! Behind you!" Robin warned. Looking behind, she realized she had managed to lose track of one Risen. Adrenaline rushed through her, giving her the strength to match the Risen Chief, and even to stand straight again, but she wouldn't be able to escape in time to avoid the creature behind her. Lucina tried to kick her adversary away, but to no avail, as she had almost no leverage from her position. She had underestimated the strength of her opponent, and now it was going to cost her.

A blast of heat hit Lucina's back as she struggled, and a crackling noise filled the air around her. Once again peering over her shoulder, she found the other Risen's corpse boiling on the ground.

Wasting no time, she abandoned Falchion, surrendering it to her foe's strike. Exchanging it for the iron sword clutched by the now evaporating swordsman, she nimbly ducked under the final monster's horizontal swing. She followed up with a jab to the gut and a slash across the waist, and it immediately vaporized.

Lucina scanned the field for signs of more Risen, but she determined there were none left. She then jogged to the fortress where Robin had been, and she saw that he had fallen onto the ground and was now panting heavily in an attempt to recover from the battle. She rolled him onto his back. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah... A lance hit me in the thigh, but it didn't dig too deep. I should be able to get by with a bandage," Robin informed her.

"Good." She looked back to where she had just been fighting. "You can use magic?"

"Apparently," he noted, finally catching his breath. "It takes a lot of energy, though. I almost passed out." He sighed. "I wish I had known I could do that when I went hunting this morning," he chuckled.

"I left my sword over there. You'll be fine, right?" she checked.

"No doubt," he smiled.

Lucina began walking back toward Falchion. Robin had put his life at risk in the fight, and though he had several opportunities to either kill her or let her die, he saved her instead. As much as she hated to admit it, she trusted him.

Retrieving Falchion, she returned it to its sheath and started for the fort once again. Upon arrival, she let out a huge sigh, noticing he had managed to bandage himself.

Lucina knelt by her comrade and began helping him up. His leg was clearly unstable, but he was able to put some weight on it.

"I should be able to walk; I'll just have a small limp," he predicted, determined not to be a hindrance.

"And you are certain?"

"Yeah. Let's get going." Robin took a step forward and winced, but he made no sound. As he continued, each step became more and more bearable, indicating that he was fit enough to travel, albeit short lengths at a time. As he settled into a wobbly stride, Lucina started adjusting their plans.

"We're already getting a late start, and in your condition, you will not be able to move quickly at all. The bottom line is, we will not reach Ylisstol until tomorrow afternoon,"

"Speaking of which, what do you plan to do once we arrive at the capitol?" he inquired.

"I am not staying. I actually am headed north, to Regna Ferox," she explained.

"In that case, I'll be joining you," he decided.

"No. It is important that I go alone," she said firmly.

"It's important that you not die," Robin argued. "If you were to meet more of those things, you wouldn't be able to survive alone."

"I... I will avoid them, like I used to," she resisted.

"That won't always be an option, and you know it," he reminded her.

Lucina sighed. "And there is nothing I can say to change your mind?"

"Not a thing," he insisted.

"No doubt you would follow me if I refused..." she muttered.

"Huh?"

"I said 'fine'. You can come," Lucina conceded. "But on one condition."

"Which would be..."

"I make the decisions. If I say we fight, we fight, no questions asked," she demanded.

"I can live with that," Robin agreed.

"I am not finished," Lucina continued. "Any time you leave camp, you tell me. I do not care if I am asleep or anything else, I have to know where you are. Do we have a deal?"

"We do."

* * *

 **First of all, I'd like to thank gokart48 for offering his services as a beta. If you haven't read any of his stories, you really should. Second, this story now has cover art, courtesy of yours truly. At least, it's supposed to be there. I added it several days ago, but it doesn't show up; let me know if you can't see it. Otherwise, it might just be my computer.**

 **I definitely had fun writing the flashback scene, and as of yet, I have two more planned between Lucina and Robin, but expect more. Generally, they will involve Lucina and an adult, and I'll probably write more of them as the other children come into play.**

 **For those of you who just want to read the story chapter by chapter, I appreciate that you enjoyed my prologue enough to continue reading. However, for anybody who wants to know from an author's perspective why I chose to do what I did in each chapter, I will be posting a 'Latest Chapter' section to my profile which explains my thought process. Usually, I will only have one chapter up at a time, and I will find someplace else to archive them, but because I just now told you about this, my section on the prologue will remain until the next chapter. (The section will not have spoilers past what I've posted in the story.)**

 **Writing this has been pretty fun so far, and I've learned plenty of new things, like that full-grown black bears can weigh as little as 150 lbs., and that a person's head is 95% of its total size by the time they turn 9 (don't ask). I'll be sure to include those little facts in the 'Latest Chapter' section as well.**

 **As usual, reviews are appreciated, and I'm thrilled to have so many followers already; you guys have really inspired me to kick it up a notch. And to learn how to use bar lines.**

 **Until next time,**

 **-Exalted Fellblood**


	3. Deital Agents

**I'm not dead! I promise, I'm actually still writing! Anyway, sorry about the long wait. This is the part where I'm supposed to tell you why I didn't update sooner, and I _do_ have an excuse, but it's a dumb one, so I'll spare you the details. I'll have more to say after the chapter, but until then, enjoy the real reason you came.**

* * *

Deital Agents

Robin dusted off his new possession. As far as books went, it hadn't been cheap, but since his sword took the full weight of an axe two days prior, he had no choice but to sell the deformed bronze to a blacksmith in Ylisstol.

The text had a nondescript, dark green cover. The book was unmarked, so it was a wonder that he stumbled across it at the shop. Inside was research on fighting techniques from all over the world; there were descriptions of their procedures, comments on their ups and downs, and information on their origins. Opening to the middle of the book, he silently skimmed through a few skills.

Naga's priests at the Mila Tree had recently created a technique, which they referred to as 'Naga's Miracle', to save them from fatal strikes; however, anyone who used it suffered an inability to properly wield magical weapons and tools until healed. The process involved healers focusing their magic energy to preserve their life force outside their physical body, and as such required a great deal of discipline. Despite the challenges, Miracle was now widely known and practiced by the world's priests and clerics, and those who use it are known by their exceptional calm during battle.

Turning to the end of the book, he came across a section titled "Bloodline Abilities". It seemed that the skills in that section were not learned techniques, but rather hereditary powers. How such a thing were possible was unknown to Robin, and needless to say, he was intrigued. Skimming through names such as "Shadowgift", his eyes were drawn to the label "Ignis":

'This ability belongs to the 'Keepers of the Table', the curates of the Grimleal faith. It is said to blur the boundary between the magical and the physical. None know of its origin.'

"-Mmphh!" Robin's face was now buried in thick, wet mud. His foot and a large root had apparently had a difference of opinion. Rolling onto his back, he opened his eyes to the all-too-familiar sight of Marth's hand offering a much appreciated assistance.

Accepting the help, he stood quickly. Marth was clearly having to restrain his laughter upon seeing Robin's mud-stained face. Breathing deeply once, he spoke seriously. "Perhaps your reading can wait until later."

"I suppose it can," Robin attempted to sound dignified while wiping his face off. "Still, I'd like to be prepared should we be forced into battle again."

"That reminds me-" Marth removed an iron sword from his belt. "You will need this blade. Your magic clearly needs practice, so you obviously shouldn't rely on it."

Accepting the sword, Robin tucked it under his robe. "Not to sound ungrateful, but how did you get this?" he inquired, trying carefully to remove the dirt from the open pages of his book without damaging the paper or smearing the ink. "You said you didn't have much gold."

"This sword belonged to the Risen which you struck with lightning."

"Risen?" Robin pondered this comment. _Risen? If he knows what they're called, then he probably knows more about them._

"The monsters we fought are known as the 'Risen'."

"Yeah, I gathered as much. But you've seen them before?"

"I have, many times… but I'm afraid I don't know how they came to be, if that is what you are asking," Marth stated, grasping the hilt of his own sword tightly.

He's hiding something. Then again, it always seems like he's hiding something. Maybe the mask just makes him seem more secretive than he really is. "Huh. Thanks for the sword."

* * *

The two walked on in silence for some time, Robin prudently tending to his damaged book. What seemed like only a few minutes to him were, in reality, hours spent restoring the ruined text. Lucina, on the other hand, was preoccupied with thoughts of her future. Or past. Or whatever she was supposed to call it. She was constantly shifting her train of thought, from the desolate villages and the burning forests, which Grima had decimated, to her friends, the children of the Shepherds, with whom she grew up. Finally, one memory began to replay itself vividly in her mind.

 _Lucina ran up to her father, who was dressed in his blue and white armor. She herself wore her nightgown, a faded pink. Her bare feet were barely visible underneath said gown._

 _"It's so early," she moaned. "Why didn't anybody wake me up?"_

 _"You needed your sleep," Chrom explained._

 _Tears forming in her eyes, she asked, "You were going to leave without saying goodbye?"_

 _"No, of course not." he pulled his daughter into a tight embrace. "I was just about to come wake you myself."_

 _"Oh, ok…" she accepted. "Daddy?"_

 _"Yes?"_

 _"Why do you have to go now?"_

 _"Lucina, we've already talked about this," Chrom reminded her. "I have to go meet with the king of Plegia."_

 _"I know, but why now? You just got back from the war in Valm. Can't you at least stay two more days?"_

 _"I wish I could. I really do," he sighed. "But King Validar isn't going to wait any longer."_

 _"... He should," Lucina moped._

 _"Come on, Lucina. Cheer up! As soon as I get back, we'll have that huge birthday celebration, just like I promised. All your friends will be there, and we'll have the chefs cook up all of your favorite foods."_

 _She gave a weak smile, sniffled, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Alright. But don't forget it."_

 _"I won't." Chrom reassured her, smiling with pride. "I could never forget anything so important."_

 _Father and daughter continued their embrace for several more seconds, Lucina resting her chin on Chrom's shoulder."Did you say goodbye to Mom yet?"_

 _"No, not yet."_

 _"Ok, then. She'll want to see you again before we leave." Chrom heaved a sigh, releasing his daughter from his arms. "Take care of your sister while we're gone, ok?"_

 _"I will."_

 _"And keep up with your studies."_

 _"I will." Her smile was now full. "I love you, daddy."_

 _"I love you, too," he whispered, kissing her cheek._

"There! Finally!" Robin interrupted with a triumphant cry. "I can read the first letter now!"

"One letter?"

"Huh. I guess that's not very encouraging."

"I can agree with that."

"Still, I'll just have to keep working at it. I'll be able to read it eventually."

"You have conviction and optimism in equal measure, I see," Lucina noticed.

"Of course! I mean, I've managed to survive on few possessions and little money. I was, in a sense, rescued when I was lost."

"And yet you have almost nothing, you were lost and unconscious to begin with, and you have no memory of who you were. I wouldn't consider myself lucky to be in your shoes."

"I guess I'm just not so upset about my problems, since they don't seem to be dragging me down. I suppose I might be more pessimistic had I woken alone in that field."

"I have trouble believing that," Lucina remarked.

"Why's that?"

"You're ignoring the problems you have right now. I believe you would do the same in any scenario."

"I'm not ignoring them, they're just not prudent." Robin explained.

"Not prudent? You're in the middle of nowhere with somebody you just met. Not to mention you have no memory of who you are. The only thing you have going for you is that you can read, although that won't do you any good out here."

"I meant important ones."

Lucina rolled her eyes, though Robin couldn't see it through her mask.

"First of all," Robin began to explain, "If you were going to kill or hurt me, you would have done it already. Second, I can survive fine in the wilderness, which you know good and well. And while my amnesia is a problem, it's not worth getting worked up over. I mean, my memories might have been nice to have, but I'm doing just fine without them."

"I still wouldn't want to be in your position." She sighed. "Let's set up camp."

"Sure. I guess it'll give me a chance to read that other book I bought."

* * *

 _Wind Magic,_ Robin thought. _The most easily controlled and aimed form of Anima Magic._ He pointed his fingers up, closing the gaps between them as the diagram had shown. His palm was out, and his wrist was bent back. _Extremely effective against aerial soldiers,_ he recited mentally. It'll have to work against a deer, too.

Watching his target intently from behind a particularly thick oak, he prepared to try his hand at magic once again. Finally, the animal entered a small clearing, and Robin saw his chance. Unleashing what turned out to be an underwhelming gust of wind, he let out an immediate groan, alerting his prey to the oncoming blast. The deer sprinted forward, straight into the blade of a well-hidden Marth.

"You should be more careful. We almost lost it."

"Yeah, I know," Robin sighed. "I was just disappointed with my attack."

"Wind magic is the weakest magic. Perhaps you could try a more powerful kind next time."

"Thanks for the tip. My book seems to have left that out," he remembered. "But wait- if you're out hunting, you must have finished making the fire already."

"Unfortunately, I have had little success. Nearly all the wood in the area was soaked in a recent rain. Maybe you would have better luck."

"I should hope so, or else this deer meat will go to waste."

The pair returned to where they had agreed to camp. Just as Marth had said, the gathered wood appeared unusable. On the other hand, appearances could be deceiving.

 _Fire Magic. The most energy efficient form of Anima Magic. Noticeably stronger than wind magic._ Forming a fist, Robin straightened his wrist so his palm was facing downward. Within seconds, a flame emerged from his hand and shot towards the pile of logs.

"That ought to be hot enough."

"It appears so," Marth agreed. "And you also appear to be conscious."

"I guess I am. My book says thunder magic takes a lot more energy than fire and wind. It was right; I'm drained, but I can still walk and everything just fine."

"Then I trust you will make use of this knowledge in battle."

"You can count on it."

* * *

The sun was out, and there were no clouds in sight. The air was warm and clear, and there wasn't so much as a hint of a breeze. "It's nice out, and we haven't done anything fun outside in weeks," one of them had said. "Why not raid a village?"

As a result, the villagers were now huddled away in their homes and shops, hiding from the Plegian bandits.

Robin had stationed himself atop a roof, where he could send spells down on the street-bound brigands and possibly divert their attention. He had instructed Marth to defend the inn across the road.

At first, the bandits didn't notice Robin, as they focused on and pursued their original target, the people at the inn. A lancer approached Marth at the door, but due to his opponent's speed and experience, he quickly found his lance pinned against the doorway. After a swift kick to the stomach, he was immediately impaled and thrown aside.

As a group of three ruffians neared Marth, Robin saw his chance to do some real damage. he cast a blaze into the trio, narrowly missing the one in front and catching the other two in the flames. Proud of his success, he barely noticed the flapping of wings approaching.

Turning toward the high-flying pegasus rider, he cast a quick wind spell, which his opponent dodged with practiced ease. It was apparent now that Robin was the rider's intended target. Taking another shot, he managed to land a solid hit on his foe. Beneath the flailing airborne duo, he could see a thick, purple haze several miles out of town, just in front of the forest. Meanwhile, a grunting marauder that had taken notice of him was approaching from behind. Immediately refocused, Robin sent a ball of fire across the rooftops toward the bandit, his overuse of magic catching up to him. At almost the same time, he felt the pegasus he had hit bowl him over from behind, knocking both beast and man off the building.

Fortunately, Robin managed to avoid hitting his head in the fall, landing solidly on his left leg. **Un** fortunately, he had landed solidly on his left leg.

The pegasus landed far from gracefully several feet from Robin. It injured its front right leg and right wing in the crash, but its rider sat triumphantly atop her steed, miraculously unharmed.

"Ughhh…" Robin moaned, too weak to let out a real cry of pain. Totally immobilized, he tried to form a fireball, but it merely flickered in his hand. The pegasus rider slid off of her mound. A sick grin was plastered to her face, indicating she was thrilled to take out her troublesome foe. With each step she took came a loud thunk, as if a whole body were dropping dead. Somehow, it didn't seem to fit that the companion of such an elegant species would carry such weight in her stride. _I must be pretty disoriented right now,_ Robin thought, noticing his enemy's steps were not landing at the same time as the thuds which seemed to emanate from them.

The rider now stood over the strategist, casting an elongated shadow across him. Robin managed to fuel his fire spell, causing it to grow into a viable threat; it wouldn't kill his enemy, but it would certainly impair her. In response, she backed off. Her expression turned to a scowl, letting out a slight gasp. Dropping the lance from her hand, she slowly collapsed, falling forward. Her figure was replaced by Marth's as Falchion was removed from the corpse.

"How timely," Robin mentioned weakly while he rolled his eyes.

"Considering there were five ruffians between us to begin with, you should be happy I made it in time."

"I would have been just fine," Robin argued. "But thanks anyway." For what was the fourth time in less than a week, Marth extended a helping hand. "Maybe one of these days I'll learn to stand up on my own," he mused, though his train of thought was interrupted by a piercing pain in his thigh. "Or maybe not." Robin grimaced, returning to the ground only inches from his original position.

"Luckily, no bandits remain in the area … And don't think of us as friends; I simply don't enjoy needless death."

"Hehe. If you say so."

"I'm serious," Marth insisted.

"You always are," Robin pointed out.

Lucina sighed.

"... There is a shop on the corner. I'll go get a vulnerary."

As Marth walked toward the aforementioned shop, Robin couldn't help but wonder what could have inspired such reluctance, such resistance to friendship and trust.

* * *

"Gods, what are these blasted things!?" Chrom wondered aloud. His enemy had been unphased by the gash it had received from Falchion.

"They're certainly not human," Kellam gathered, though no one heard him.

"These brutes don't behave in a sentient manner. Humans are far from capable of the tolerance which these atrocities have displayed," Miriel observed.

"Er… yeah, of course!" Vaike pretended to understand the mage while pinning a creature to the ground.

"She means they can really take a hit," Chrom explained. "I think." He proceeded to behead the monster that Vaike was restraining. Purple smoke rose from the creature's corpse, causing the prince to choke.

"What's the matter?" Vaike teased. "The mighty Chrom can't handle a little- EGH-Echhh!"

"At least you guys had breakfast," Stahl remarked as he stabbed an enemy that had snuck up on Virion. "The smoke is really upsetting my empty stomach."

"The whole damn lot of you can quit your griping," Sully called out. "We have a battle to win."

"Ahh, your beauty is matched by your focus and your ferocity," Virion admired.

"I take it back. The complaining was better."

"Your words sting me! I wish only to please you."

"You wanna please me? Then put an arrow to your bow, or I'll cram it down your throat."

"Milord!" Frederick announced. "Their numbers appear to be thinning, as does the smoke." He pushed an enemy from his lance.

Lissa, who rode on the back of his horse muttered, "Says you. I can't see a thing."

"Perhaps it is because you've a full set of armor blocking your view."

"Sheesh, Frederick. I know the difference between metal and smoke."

"It's not that bad, Lissa." Chrom impaled another foe. "Besides, Frederick is right: We've almost finished them off, and we can leave immediately after we're done."

"Alright, alright. … But this is boring!"

"Would you prefer one of us was injured, milady?" Frederick asked. "Then you could tend to our wounds instead of sitting on my horse, where I defend you constantly. Maybe you could even fight a few enemies yourself."

"Hmm… I guess I'm not that bored."

"I suspected as much." Frederick drove his lance into an oncoming monster. "I believe that's the last of them."

"I think you're right," Chrom agreed. "Fortunately, they don't seem too smart. If they had any skill with their weapons, we might've been overwhelmed by their strength."

"Blah, blah, whatever," Lissa interjected. "Can we get out of here? There's a town nearby we could stay the night in."

Chrom sighed. "It _is_ getting dark. I suppose it wouldn't hurt us to stay at an inn tonight."

"Yay!" Lissa cheered, hopping from Frederick's steed and hugging her brother. "Thank you so much and I'm so happy and I also need to buy a couple of things in town, thanks!"

"Hold on. This is a diplomatic visit, not a shopping trip."

"Aww. I promise I won't get anything I don't absolutely, totally need!" Lissa begged.

The prince rubbed his forehead. "Fine. Get your dresses or whatever it is you need. Just don't hold us up tomorrow morning."

"Yipee! Thanks, you won't regret it!"

* * *

"Geez, I thought we took out those monsters," Stahl groaned.

"The town appears to have been ransacked, albeit not by the same beasts we encountered on the path," Miriel clarified.

"What, by bandits? In this area of Ylisse?"

"It appears so. What baffles me is the extreme normality of the actions and expressions of the town's inhabitants, despite the obvious indicators of recent destruction."

"Yeah, sure. But they're acting pretty normal, considering their houses seem to be in shambles."

"Did you not-" she sighed. "Nevermind."

"We should ask the villagers what happened," Frederick advised.

"Of course," Chrom agreed. "Hey, there! Was this village attacked recently?" He directed the question at a man crossing the street in front of them.

"Yes, traveler. We was raided by brigands not two hours ago."

"Why are the people not panicked, then?"

"We was rescued by a masked man and 'is friend. Ain't a single thief what escaped with his life. So all them people what got attacked can pay to repair their homes an' such."

"A masked man?" Chrom pressed. "What did he look like?"

"Hmm… well, the masked one was short and thin. And he had blue hair, and wore blue, too. The other fellow was normal-sized. He had a fancy purple robe and silver hair."

"I see."

"Of course, I went and made a mistake, I did. One still lives who's a bandit. Well, sorta. That pegasus laid down acrossed the street down yonder was with 'em."

"Thank you for your help."

"I'm glad to help."

The Shepherds continued down the road to the inn, where they planned to stay.

"Chrom! I mean, captain!"

Chrom jumped in surprise. "Sumia, you don't have to yell. I'm standing right here."

"Of course. My apologies."

"It's fine, Sumia. What did you want to say?"

"Oh, it's nothing, really. I was just hoping I could take a look at that pegasus; you know, treat its wounds. I would hate to leave it like this."

"Yes, of course. Go ahead." Chrom took a deep breath. Between the Plegians and those creatures and these mysterious heroes, this was going to be a long journey.

* * *

 **"Hmm... It's strange. Here on the battlefield, I can... Well, I can "see" things... The enemy's strength, their weaponry, the flow of battle... I must have studied this somewhere." -Robin**

 **While playing Fire Emblem: Awakening, you can see enemy stats, damage bonuses, etc. Of course, Robin doesn't have a screen full of numbers to work with. In Awakening fics, authors explain '22 strength' by describing the physical appearance of a character or detailing the impact of their attack. Lots of authors explain why wind and arrows are good against pegasi and wyverns. One of my goals with this story is to take the information which the player is given in-game and show what they would look like from Robin's perspective. I want to make the different aspects of the game seem like things that could actually be a part of medieval war.**

 **In order to add skills to the game, I had to change them so they seemed real. 'Miracle' wasn't just some cleric getting 'lucky' and surviving a bad wound. I hope I was able to make it seem natural, almost normal. However, if it was distracting to you, or it seemed forced, please tell me; the last thing I want is for you, as the readers, to read _about_ the story. If you're not _actually_ reading it like you are _actually_ there, I'm not doing my job, so please review and tell me if it bothers you.**

 **On a happier note, I finally got a hold of Robin and Lucina amiibos. This is good for me, but it's also good for this story, which means it's good for you. It's good for this story because I can look at these characters any time and force myself to imagine them doing what I wrote down. Now you might be thinking, _Why couldn't he just look it up online?_ Normally, I would. However, I write my stories using pencil and paper, which means I can take them wherever I go. I can't look up their pictures online, though, because I don't have a computer I can take with me places**

 **I'd also like to thank Han-Ko for letting me know my cover art was showing up.**

 **Finally, thanks to gokart48, who (pardon the analogy) worked like a proud janitor to clean up my big messes. I really encourage you to read his stuff, and he just updated "Bedtime Story", like he does on most Sundays.  
**

 **Farewell, and thanks for reading!**

-Exalted Fellblood


	4. A World of Champions

**Sometimes it's ok to be yourself. Other times, you're a procrastinator, and you end up with something called an accidental hiatus. Sorry about that.**

* * *

A World of Champions

"Why should I? You could be brigands or assassins!"

"Can you not see that he is injured?" Lucina called, referring to Robin. "Surely any among you could best a lone challenger, if we were to prove a threat."

"That we could," replied the guard apparently known as Raimi. "But what makes you think you deserve audience with the reigning khan?"

"The yearly tournament is nigh," Lucina explained as Raimi signaled for her troops to back off. "He will need a champion to win him his throne once again."

"Hmm…. Very well, then. Come inside, and the three of us can discuss this further."

Lucina nodded, and Robin began to limp alongside her, leaving a rather lopsided set of footprints on the snow-covered stone. As they made their way past the unwavering watchmen, he donned a satisfied smirk, as if to say 'I told you so.' She couldn't deny that his sense for strategy extended past the battlefield.

The pair entered the fort and was pleasantly surprised by its warmth, which somehow overpowered the outside weather that leaked under the wooden door. The stone tiles which made up the walls and floor served to insulate the room sufficiently; said tiles would make the room look nearly identical to the building's exterior, if not for the icy cover which was missing from the inside. The sole furnishing was a single bookshelf, though it held no books.

There were three more doorways, one of which clearly led out to Regna Ferox. Lucina glanced into the first as she walked past, finding the nighttime guards sleeping heavily. There were as many, if not more, than were stationed outside at present.

Raimi approached the fourth door, removing a key from her belt and unlocking the heavily secured barrier. Following her as she passed through the opened way, Lucina and Robin found an immense armory stocked to the brim with dozens of kinds of weapons and armor of all sorts of sizes and materials.

The three entered the final room, and the Feroxi guard gestured towards a long table fitted with fourteen chairs: six on either side, and two at the head. Lucina took the seat furthest from the head, motioning for Robin to take the adjacent one.

"So…" Raimi began, taking the seat across from Lucina. "You wish to challenge the khan's champion."

"Yes, that is why I -we -have come," Lucina confirmed.

"You claim to be an invaluable warrior, yet you said earlier that any of us could take you on. The Feroxi may rely on strength, but I'm not stupid; I know when I'm being played."

Robin seemed to be holding in a nervous sigh. He shrugged at Lucina, who responded, "Why, then, did you call us here even though we could be a threat?"

"They've met brigands quite recently," Robin supplied, "who probably tried a more direct approach. And it's not likely that any thugs would try to reason their way in, like we did."

"Very perceptive of you," Raimi admitted, appearing both amused and impressed. "But let's get back to business. You must be hiding something. And if I had to venture a guess… I'd say it's your age." She was now watching Lucina closely, waiting for a reaction. "Your voice is too high for a fully grown man, though it isn't quite high enough for too young a child. I'd figure about fourteen or fifteen, and you're not too unusually tall for a kid."

"Umm… pardon my asking, but how are you so familiar with all of this information?" Lucina asked, resisting the urge to deny her claim.

She chuckled. "My brother is about your age now, that's all. His voice is changing. But enough about that; perhaps you feared your age would prevent you from fighting."

"That's right…" Lucina lied.

"Well don't worry, lad; I admire your guts. I won't tell Khan Basilio. And he's becoming too old to know the difference, anyway," she sighed. "You can take off your mask now, if you'd like."

"If it's all the same to you, I would prefer to leave it on. It helps to keep out the cold."

"Very well, then. I will escort you to the arena."

"Thank you, milady."

"Oh, we Feroxi don't care for titles. And in any case, this gives me an excuse to see my family in the capital again," she reasoned. "Are you ready to travel?"

Lucina glanced at Robin, who shook his head. "Not quite. Despite our somewhat deceptive manner, Robin's injury is quite real. Is there a healer he could see?"

"Yes, of course."

The trio continued on out of the council room, passing through another room which was strangely empty, and entering through a door on the far end, where the infirmary was safely tucked away. Inside were scores of beds, each with clean white sheets and a small table beside it. Only two were occupied at the moment, though both had bruised faces and some sort of heavy bandaging somewhere on their otherwise uninjured bodies."Failo!" the guard shouted. "This fellow needs help!"

A rather thin, short old man with curly red hair hobbled over, carrying a staff twice his height. "Of course. Which one am I attending to?"

"This one here has a limp," Raimi stated plainly.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Failo gestured Robin towards the nearest bed.  
"Did you put anything on it?"

"Yes, a vulnerary," Marth supplied.

"I see." The man began to remove the armor at Robin's left upper leg. "This armor isn't good for much. It could stop a wood-tipped arrow at best. It's no wonder you were hurt… but that's not the problem. The vulnerary healed up your lance wound nicely, but your knee is all but shattered." He moved his hand down to examine the knee. "What happened here?"

Robin breathed in sharply. "I… might have been hit by a lance and then maybe… knocked off a building by a pegasus?" He cringed, as if expecting some harsh reprimanding from someone.

The old healer sighed. "No amount of vulnerary can help that."

Raimi spoke up. "Use the best staff you have. They will be seeing the Khan as soon as possible." The heavily armored woman immediately turned and took his leave through the door they had come in.

"I need to go get my stronger staff and some supplies. I'll just be a minute." Failo walked to the far side of the room and disappeared through a small corridor.

* * *

 _After undergoing intense treatment, Robin is able to walk freely without pain. He and Marth are escorted along with Marth to Arena Ferox, which functions as a dueling grounds as well as a palace._

* * *

"A warrior ruler, eh?" Robin asked as he and Marth entered the Feroxi Throne Room. "I can picture him now… A giant of a man of unparalleled thew, his broad chest covered in hair, heheh…," he chuckled.

"Oh, stop flattering me!" a voice boomed from across the room.

"Woah! M-my apologies. You must be the khan. Um- your majesty," Robin stuttered as he turned to face the man.

"I'm Basilio, the West Khan of Ferox. But don't worry yourself with titles, boy. Am I to understand you'll be challenging my champion?"

"I will be doing that, sir," Marth spoke up.

Basilio seemed to notice Marth for the first time, now. "I'm always up for a duel!" he laughed. "That's a fine sword you have. I look forward to seeing you use it!"

Both Robin and Marth were taken aback by the volume with which he spoke, despite his proximity. Regaining his composure, Marth asked, "You will be watching our fight personally? As the khan, I figured you would have duties to attend to."

"As the khan, no one can make me miss your little face-off! And, as a Feroxi, nothing could make me want to." He quieted down just a little. "Will you be spectating as well, Robin?"

"Well- wait, you know my name?"

"Don't be nervous, boy. Raimi told me your names when she came in."

"Oh, right, of course. but as for your question, I will be coaching him." Marth shot him some sort of look, but his mask served to hide its nature.

"A coach, huh?" Basilio wondered. "Most challengers come on their own, but I suppose there aren't any rules against it…. Let's go then!"

"Right now?" Marth's voice almost seemed to crack.

"Why not? You seem to be ready."

"I don't have any objections," Robin offered.

"Actually, I would like to speak with my acquaintance in private for a moment, if that would be possible," Lucina requested.

"Very well. I'll go fetch my champion and meet you at the arena. It's right down there," he directed, pointing down a hallway on their left.

"You'd leave us alone in the throne room?" Robin questioned.

"My border guard has an impeccable sense of trustworthiness," Basilio half-explained, half-bragged as he turned to make his way down another passage.

Seeing that they were alone, Marth glared at Robin. At least Robin thought it was a glare; it was hard to tell. "I never asked you to be my coach."

"You never said I couldn't. Besides, you also never told me you were only fifteen. Now we're even."

"This isn't about 'getting even'. Besides, I already explained that I'm not fifteen, and I thought you accepted that."

Robin sighed. "Yes, I did. Now you need to accept that I'm your coach, because if you don't, Khan Basilio will find out we lied to him." He grinned.

* * *

As Robin entered the arena, he was astounded to see that it was probably larger than the village he had fought at in northern Ylisse, and the roof was twice as high as the one in the throne room. Despite the immensely wide ceiling, it had no pillars of support, and it was certainly a masterpiece of engineering. There were massive grandstands on the perimeter, with forty or so rows all the way round, except at the gates and the khans' boxes. Robin imagined it could fit the entire population of Ferox, though he wasn't sure quite how many people that would be. The structure was made of stone, as was pretty much everything else in Ferox, Robin realized.

He and Marth were now standing in front of Basilio's seat, along with a strong, confident man carrying a serrated sword. About fifty spectators sat in the surrounding seats. the khan called out, "You will have five minutes to prepare yourselves, after which the fight will commence! I alone will declare the duel's end!"

Robin shook his head, and then examined Marth's opponent once more. Turning to Marth, he whispered, "You see how his legs are relatively small for a man of his strength? That means he doesn't exercise his endurance much, so he'll wear out quickly if you keep him moving. Got it?"

Marth did not reply.

Robin sighed. "Ok, put aside your frustration for a second. This doesn't have to be for show, this coaching thing. I _am_ giving you real advice. All I want is a few moments of your attention."

"Fine. Go on," Marth gave in.

"The way he leans forward means he wants to take the offensive. Let him come to you, because he _will_ come. If you focus on dodging, he'll tire himself out trying to at least make contact with your sword. If you ever get the chance, take a swipe at his legs. He may look agile now, but when he's exhausted, that will all change."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, one last thing. His blade is serrated. That's great for killing, but not so much for parrying. Use that."

"You're not going to tell me when to take the offensive?"

"Of course not! You're smart, and you know an opening when you see one. You'll be fine." Robin gave a lopsided grin, starting to leave.

"Robin?" Marth grabbed his wrist before he could get away.

"Yes?"

"... Thanks."

Robin nodded, and then entered the stands to sit with Basilio. There were still around three minutes left, and he wanted to ask the khan a few questions before the match.

Arriving at the only spot beside the ruler, he sat down. "Isn't this reserved for the other khan?" Robin asked.

"Don't worry about it. She's not here, and she won't mind."

"Wait, 'she'?"

"Yes, Khan Flavia." Basilio seemed bemused.

"Sorry, I was just surprised. Although I shouldn't be, since Ylisse's Exalt is also a woman."

"Come on, boy. Loosen up a bit!" the khan encouraged. After a moment, he began, "I want to ask you a couple of questions."

"Well, ask away," Robin offered.

"What is it you do as a 'coach'? What can you tell him that will make him fight better?"

"Hmm…" Robin hadn't been ready for this, but the subject was, fortunately, fresh in his mind. "I can see your champion's strengths, his weaknesses. I told Marth where to strike, where to guard, when to defend, when to attack, et cetera. Because I know what your man wants, and I tell mine not to give it to him."

"And you can tell all this just by looking at him?"

"We'll have to find out. But yeah, that's the idea."

"Haha! I can't wait, boy!" Basilio blurted, though nobody paid him mind. Whispering now, he asked, "Why does he have a mask?"

"Beats me. I only met him ten days ago, and he hasn't told me, or so much as taken it off to sleep or eat." Robin admitted. "Umm…- nevermind."

"What is it, boy?"

"It's nothing. The fight should be starting soon."

"Suit yourself." Basilio faced the dueling grounds. "Let's begin!"

* * *

Lucina watched as her opponent immediately charged her, exactly as Robin had predicted. The man raised his sword in preparation for a downward strike. As instructed, Lucina dodged to her right, resisting the urge to deflect. She put as much distance as possible between herself and Lon'qu before he charged again. The swordsman stabbed forward at her gut, but she stepped left this time. Anticipating her actions, he slashed horizontally toward her, but Lucina quickly ducked, rolling backwards and regaining a standing position. Lon'qu charged yet another time, feigning an upwards slash before striking at her feet. Nimbly leaping back, she barely cleared the blade's tip.

Lon'qu grew frustrated, as none of his blows made contact. Lucina accidentally angled her sword so that it glared right in her opponent's eyes, furthering his agitation.

Pushing right back into the thick of the fight, he jabbed at her, his blade cutting air directly between her side and raised arm. She immediately rammed Falchion's hilt onto his exposed thumb. A faint crack was heard by both, but no one else.

Lon'qu gripped his sword with his left hand and dropped his right to his side. His strokes were no less powerful or precise; he swung three successive diagonals, pushing Lucina near the wall which protected the Khans' seats. There was, however, one subtle difference in his attacks: they were ever-so-slightly slower. Lucina was able to dodge two consecutive slashes by shuffling right, putting the wall on her left-hand side.

It became obvious that Lon'qu was somewhat fatigued, the pair having moved around far more than usual. Lucina's years of travel, however, served to train her for extended battles. She retreated hastily so as to draw the duel out further.

"Come and fight!" Lon'qu yelled in frustration. "You claim to be a warrior, yet you run like a coward?"

Lucina remained silent. Sensing that her opponent would soon catch on and stop being so reckless, she thought to tire him out in a different way. As Lon'qu's sword came down from the left in a diagonal swing, she deflected it not to the side, but up, creating an opening with which to kick him in the diaphragm. He reeled back, involuntarily letting out a tremendous amount of air. Still not missing a beat, he dropped his sword and caught Lucina's foot midair. In response, Lucina released Falchion and placed her hands on the floor, supporting herself with her arms. At the same time, she swept with her free leg at the feet of her opponent, knocking him off his feet and freeing herself. Immediately reclaiming Falchion, she was first to stand, and so put Lon'qu at sword tip.

"The duel is over!" Basilio declared, as the crowd was in as much of an uproar as was possible for fifty in such a large room. He and Robin made their way down. "That might be the first fight I've seen where both competitors lost their weapons at the same time!" Basilio chuckled. "You've got some talent, kid." Robin smiled, though he spared Lucina any sort of begrudging look.

"Thank you, sir. But before I can be your champion, I need to request one thing in return. Ylisse is facing the threat of war by Plegia and has sent messengers to request aid from Khan Flavia. I cannot fight for you if winning would keep them from their alliance."

"Haha! I like your guts. Plus, I've got a bone to pick with Plegia. Ylisse can count on our help if I have anything to say about it!"

"Thank you, sir."

"This champion, what's his name?" Robin asked.

"Lon'qu. He's quiet, but ferocious with a sword - but apparently not as ferocious as Marth."

"So now the fate of your throne rests in his hands alone?" Robin gestured toward Lucina.

"Well, no. Not alone. I actually get two champions, as does Flavia. And, since my other best fighter left me last year, Lon'qu is still my second champion even though he lost. We'll just have to find out what this Marth can do."

"Interesting," Robin pondered. "And now that I've seen Lon'qu in action, I'd like to test myself against him."

"Is that so?"

"I don't know how well I can fight, but I intend to find out. I can't promise it will be a battle worthy of a khan, though."

"Well, you know I can't resist a fight, whatever the result. Lon'qu!" he called to his champion, who had begun to leave. "Come over here!"

The swordsman made his way back before silently nodding.

"This fellow would also like to challenge you. How long do you need to recover?"

"A true warrior is always prepared to fight. We start now."

Basilio patted him on the back. "You never disappoint, son! Let's get to it, then." He waved for Lucina to follow him and returned to his place in the stands. Lucina ascended the steps, not entirely certain of how to react to the recent turn of events. On the one hand, Robin was getting into the habit of making decisions without consulting her. On the other hand, they seemed to be effective decisions, and she hadn't exactly been very receptive of his help prior to the match. Perhaps a discussion is in order, she thought.

She had somehow missed Basilio's loud holler, as the fight was already underway when she regained focus. In all honesty, though Robin had proven himself a skilled fighter, she didn't consider him a match for Lon'qu. However, thanks to his strategic thinking and Lon'qu's exhaustion, he was now able to match his opponent's strength in a deadlock. He placed his free hand behind him and angled it downward. Casting a wind spell, he used the momentum to tackle the myrmidon, pinning him to the ground while their blades remained locked. They struggled fiercely for several moments, though from the audience's perspective, not much happened for a while.

"Is there a rule against magic?" Lucina whispered to Basilio.

He shook his head. "We've never needed one; magic alone leaves challengers too vulnerable, so no one's ever really tried to use it here before. And no mage has ever had a weapon to back him up. I bet Flavia will demand such a rule, though, once she catches wind of this."

Lucina watched as Lon'qu tried to push Robin off of him, finally succeeding after around a minute's time. Robin then retreated, egging the warrior on with a slight chuckle. Lon'qu barreled forward the same way he had in the first duel, but due to his lack of energy, Robin was able to outmaneuver him, putting about fifty feet between them while Lon'qu recovered. Panting now, Robin mustered a weak ball of electricity in his hand and placed it on the edge of his iron blade. The sword glowed like lightning, preserving the magic within. Lon'qu was now right in front of him, and a split second later had him trapped in another deadlock. The myrmidon's strength was overwhelming, having regained composure and finesse. The swordmaster was certainly frustrated before, but his face seemed a lot more relaxed at the moment, and Robin knew he had to end the fight immediately. Putting every last bit of effort into his retaliation, he managed to bring his sword to Lon'qu's shoulder, and he released the magic which had crackled through his weapon. The man was both figuratively and literally shocked, and Robin seized the chance to put his blade tip to his foe's neck, stepping away slightly.

"That's it! The fight is over!" Basilio roared for the second time.

Lucina could see the former competitors now exchanging a few words, but she couldn't make out what they were saying. She was about to make her way down when the West Khan put a very large hand on her shoulder.

"I never thought I'd see Lon'qu lose a fight. Well, except to Flavia and me, I mean. But twice in one day- impressive! You should both be proud."

"Of course," Lucina agreed. "I am. I'm going to go speak to my acquaintance."

"Kid, I don't ask a lot of questions. I'm not going to ask you to take your mask off, but just know your place as my champion is secured, no matter what you may be hiding."

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'd rather keep it on, for my own sake."

* * *

 _"It's more than just a mask- it's a reminder," Lucina explained._

 _"A reminder of what?" Cynthia asked._

 _"Of what I fight for. He taught me that fighting for the sake of fighting is wrong. Then he gave me this mask to remind me of the peace I fight for every day."_

 _"Who's 'he'? I thought Gerome gave you that mask."_

 _"No, it was… it was…." Lucina frowned. "I-I don't remember, somehow." She squinted and gave off an air of intense concentration._

 _"How do you not remember something so important?" Cynthia questioned, confused._

 _"I'm not sure. It doesn't make sense, but I just… can't… remember…"_

 _"Lucina, if you need to take some time to yourself to figure this out, it's ok. Or if you want to talk to me about it, go ahead." Cynthia proposed._

 _"No, I'm sorry. You were so enthusiastic moments ago. I shouldn't have let myself become sidetracked."_

 _"Even heroes need some personal time, sis! Or family time, too! Mom and Dad used to spend lots of time with us!"_

 _"Yes, and I'll be sure to work out my personal issues when I have a break from my duties, Cynthia."_

 _"But that's just it! You never take a break! One of these days, you're just gonna collapse!" Cynthia argued._

 _"And so we had better teach you to fight, so that you can protect yourself when that happens," Lucina diverted._

 _"But you can't just stop being there for me! You would never do that!"_

 _"And the day I do will be the day I die," Lucina firmly agreed._

 _"No! Stop talking about death in this family! It hurts enough already! You're not gonna die!"_

 _"I don't plan to any time soon, Cynthia," Lucina continued._

 _"You'd better not! You'd better live to be a hundred, not die on the battlefield!"_

 _"Is that something you'd fight for?"_

 _"Of course! I'm your sister."_

 _"Well then, I'll teach you how."_

 _Cynthia groaned. "Fine! But one of these days, we need to have a serious talk about this."_

 _Lucina ignored her, transitioning directly into training. "First, ready your lance by drawing it back._

 _Cynthia did as she was instructed. "Like this?" she checked, fire returning to her eyes._

 _The iron lance was tilted downward at an unusual angle, but Lucina couldn't say exactly what was wrong with the position, so she said simply, "Yes, like that. Now thrust it forward. And don't worry, you won't reach me."_

 _Once again, Cynthia followed the instructions, and Lucina couldn't help but notice that she arced the weapon upward when she attacked, counteracting most of the disadvantages of its peculiar starting position, and maintaining the benefits. Her grip was slightly further up the shaft than normal, which increased precision while decreasing power; coupled with her attacking form, it made for a very unique but workable style._

 _Lucina smiled. "You'll be a hero in no time," she encouraged. "Just like Mom."_

 _Cynthia beamed. "Just like Mom!"_

* * *

 **Thanks for being patient for this mostly dead but slightly alive story. Also, if you think that means I'm giving up, then you really need to go watch _The Princess Bride_ immediately. Why aren't you watching yet?**

 **Now that you're done watching _The Princess Bride_ , I'm going to take this opportunity to address a few reviews (I will type out part of the review and my response).**

 **...**

 **Mrperson01: "** Hopefully ChromxSumia will be too!"

 **Me:** I think the end of this chapter confirmed that for you, but just in case: yes, Chrom and Sumia are married. In the future.

...

 **Guest: "** Just try not to make it long winder, like were on chapter 37 before they confess..."

 **Me:** I plan on making this story be 26 chapters, plus a prologue. Essentially, each one of my chapters will correspond to one of the game's chapters. It might take a few extra, though, to make sure all of the future children come in.

...

 **Guest:** "...dialogue moves very quickly without much depiction of characters involved..."

 **Me:** _This_ chapter was mostly done by the time you reviewed, but I'll do my best to keep that in mind when writing future chapters.

...

 **Also, this story has 96 follows! That's almost 100, and at some point I realized that I shouldn't leave 100 people waiting on me for so long (or even 96... or 1). Sorry for the wait, and thanks for reading.**

 **-Exalted Fellblood**


	5. Two Falchions

**Alright, so this one was pretty close to a month. I was hoping to be more timely, but at least it's progress.**

* * *

Two Falchions

The woman sat atop her pegasus, her lance pointed forward and slightly down. She began thrusting her weapon repeatedly, curving it upward as she practiced her motions. From Lucina's perspective, it appeared as though she was attacking the sun as it came over the horizon, glaring harshly across the training grounds.

"You have a very unique style," the princess informed the pegasus rider as she approached her.

Startled, her familiar face seemed to flinch. "Oh, thank you," she replied quietly, turning toward her visitor. "But, if you don't mind… who are you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry - we haven't officially met." Lucina mentally scolded herself. The Shepherds had arrived at Arena Ferox just last night, and already she was beginning to slip up. "We're to be opponents at tomorrow's tournament, mo-... milady." Lucina finished with urgency: "Your highness!"

The woman blushed profusely. "I-I'm not royalty! I mean…," she sighed, obviously beginning to daydream.

"My mistake." Lucina mentally scolded herself. She shouldn't have come here in the first place, but she wanted to see her again. No; she _needed_ to, and not in the arena like she would tomorrow.

"Just call me Sumia," she offered, smiling lightly.

"Very well." _That will take some getting used to…._

Sumia looked concerned, but she said simply, "Good luck tomorrow."

"And you, as well." Lucina made to leave, but she first realized that her future adversary was frighteningly pale. "... You don't look well."

"Hmm," Sumia frowned. "I suppose I'm just nervous, that's all. I've never fought before," she admitted.

"Never?" Lucina tried to hide her concern, but to no avail.

"The captain said it would be a good chance for me to practice without the risk of an actual battle," she said, clearly not convinced.

Lucina realized that her father had simply found an excuse to fight by Sumia's side. She rolled her eyes beneath her mask. "I can't promise anything in battle, of course, but I'll only do what's necessary," she offered, trying to relieve at least a little stress.

Sumia smiled, though it seemed forced. All at once, though, it grew to a wider, more genuine smile, and she spoke. "Thank you. For saving that village."

"... What?" Lucina tilted her head slightly.

"In Ylisse. The townsfolk described you perfectly." She gently stroked her pegasus. "Thank you." She sighed again, staring at her mount and rubbing its bandaged wing.

Lucina considered saying 'Of course,' but she decided that a simple nod would suffice.

Sumia sighed. Her face then shifted, and it looked puzzled. "Are you… royalty?"

Lucina nearly jumped. _Is my disguise so easily seen through?_ "... No. Why do you ask?"

"I guess it's kind of silly, but your tiara: it's similar to what someone from House Ylisse would wear," she explained. "Either way, though, it must have been expensive."

 _Mother's intuition. It shouldn't be a problem before she's actually had a child, but still… I shouldn't take any chances._ "I wouldn't know - my mother gave it to me." She paused, and then adjusted her mask with her right hand. "I'd best be going now."

"I see," she muttered. "Take care."

"Until tomorrow. And keep up the training; you'll be an excellent fighter before long." She allowed a slight smile to tug at the left corner of her mouth. _And a wonderful mother._

* * *

At the moment, though, it was the 'fighter' part that mattered.

Basilio had just announced the rules of the tournament; as the reigning khan, it was his privilege and honor to do so - a point which he made repeatedly while occasionally snickering at the now-present Khan Flavia. Briefly, the rules stated that there would be no interference allowed, nor would poison or other weapon-enhancing material be permitted. In addition, there would be two duels, and the winner of each would proceed to the final duel. The khan which was represented by the victor would subsequently be crowned Reigning Khan.

Lucina approached her opponent. On the far side of the arena, she could see her father and Robin doing the same. It puzzled her to some degree that both matches were to occur simultaneously; but, she figured the one thing more important to the khans than a duel was probably establishing full power.

She turned forward to find her foe staring at her curiously. Had she slipped up? Maybe she… no, she could feel that her hair was properly hidden. Shaking her head as if to rid her mind of those thoughts, she spoke. "Shall we begin?"

Sumia nodded. Mounting her pegasus, she took a deep breath of air. Her poise was on point, as though it was natural, instinctive. In reality, it probably _was_ instinctive. However, Lucina could immediately see that the pegasus rider was entirely unaccustomed to fighting against living, breathing opponents. She had a clear air of inexperience. And yet, she wasn't worried.

Suddenly, a thought came to Lucina's mind, one that she couldn't ignore. She tried to push it aside, but she eventually couldn't help but act upon it.

"My mother was a pegasus rider, as well." That was a casual enough comment. She could still avoid cont- "If you'd like, I could teach you what she taught me." She internally rebuked herself. She wasn't supposed to be tampering with the past like this.

"Oh…. Well, yes, I'd like that. Thank you!"

It was done. How could she be so impulsive? It was that kind of irresponsibility that ended up…- "It's my pleasure. Of course, we still have to duel, but I'll just hold back until we're done." Well, that was it. She might as well enjoy it. "Why don't you make the first move?"

Sumia drew back her lance, preparing to strike; however, on the way forward, she hesitated. "I…"

"Don't worry about it. I'll be just fine."

"I know you will… but I don't like the idea of striking at a friend." She frowned and gazed downward. "But I know I have to put that aside. Frederick told me already, I shouldn't let emotions get in the way of a battle."

Of course Frederick would say that. "Well, that's good advice… for most people, including him." Lucina made a lazy swipe at the pegasus' legs, intentionally missing.

"What do you mean?" Sumia looked up as her mount easily avoided the attack.

"A good friend of mine told me the same thing: not to be clouded by emotions. But my mother told me that his advice didn't work for everyone." The princess took a jab at her foe.

"Why is that?" she asked in quiet excitement.

"She needed those emotions to fuel her fighting spirit. Every time she had to fly into battle, be it practice or not, she would think of my father, and of me. She realized that if she ever held back, or if she ever hesitated, she could lose us. So the same emotions that would make her friend reckless…"

"... would also be her own strength. I see." She smiled a real smile for possible the first time since Lucina had found her. Her gaze crossed the room for only a moment, and with that, everything fell into place. She thrusted her lance forward, narrowly missing the masked champion's left hip.

Lucina chuckled lightly. "I see you've found your drive." Immediately, the Shepherd showed signs of everything Lucina had intended to teach her.

"I guess you could say that story of yours hit close to home," she daydreamed. simultaneously, she and her pegasus lunged forward.

Lucina heard metal hit metal, though it occurred to her that the sound came from the background. After ducking under the incoming attack, she sprung up to her opponent's left. "That's good to hear." Another jab forced her to dodge to the floor again, but this time she rolled smoothly under the winged animal, emerging on the other side. "But I'm afraid I have a tournament to win!" Surprising her foe from behind, she placed Falchion to her back, and Sumia yelped. the duel was over in practically no time at all, as far as those two were concerned.

However, unbeknownst to them, the somewhat drawn-out battle between Robin and Chrom had been in progress for a few minutes now. Though Chrom had seemed on the verge of victory, it now became clear that Robin was still in fighting condition.

"You did fantastically for a first duel, Cy- Sumia," Lucina stuttered the compliment.

 _"I'm going to be a hero, just like mom!"_

Lucina shook her head in confusion. "Sorry?"

"I'm going to watch the other duel from the wall, and you can join me if you'd like."

That made more sense. "Thank you, but I think I need some time to collect my thoughts."

"Of course." Sumia turned to leave. "Thank you for the help."

Lucina nodded.

As the two parted ways, both turned their attention to the heated battle taking place only thirty feet away, which could possibly determine the reigning khan prematurely.

* * *

The first strike came, and Robin was immediately thrown off-balance. This man - Chrom of Ylisse, he had introduced himself - held tremendous power for a man of medium build. Although he wasn't the deftest of fighters, his speed wasn't laughable. As far as raw strengths and weaknesses went, Chrom was probably an all-around better fighter than Robin.

Robin wasn't going to let that stop him, though. Chrom pressed him with a quick series of horizontal slices, which pushed him back a fair distance. He then came forward with a heavy downward swing, but Robin had anticipated it. He deflected the blow slightly to his right while simultaneously dodging left. As planned, Chrom put enough force into the attack to send himself tumbling to the floor. However, he transitioned cleanly into a roll, denying Robin the opening he had wanted. Still, the mage… swordsman… what was he, exactly? Anyway, he didn't hesitate to take the offensive. He wasn't confident he could keep up the front, but he was less sure he could hold off on defense.

"You're a quick thinker," Robin complimented, jabbing his foe's gut.

"No, I just have good instincts," the Shepherd replied as he deflected the strike to his right.

"Hmm…." Robin brought his sword down toward Chrom's left side. "That's different, but nonetheless valuable."

Chrom deflected the blade down, and the sword barely missed his shins. The Ylissean once again put his weight into the swing, which his opponent met with his own. Robin was forced to support his iron by placing his hand behind the tip. The two held their positions for quite a while, Robin's wide, defensive stance barely being enough to hold Chrom's narrow, offensive one.

"Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you protected that town."

"Somehow I already figured that out." Robin grimaced.

"Heh. I suppose I made that obvious," the Ylissean agreed with satisfaction.

"I should _hope_ this isn't what you're like when you hold back…" Robin chuckled. His foot gave a little, and the laugh became a cough.

Chrom smirked. "I wish." The two resumed gritting their teeth and pressing forward. "However, I'm still going to beat you." His strength seemed to increase out of nowhere. The champion transitioned from his left side, putting his right shoulder forward, instead. It was almost… unnatural, his power. Robin stumbled backward several steps but maintained his stance.

Both warriors sensed this was a vital moment, and each responded by kicking the other in the gut. Unfortunately for Robin, the only factor that mattered in the current situation was weight, and the beginning of the battle had helped to foreshadow the result. He fell to the floor, whereas Chrom only took a step back, looking slightly worn but otherwise fine. The Shepherd took a moment to regain his breath before making to end it all.

"That sort of kick doesn't work with every style, you know. It actually just gets in the way of most techniques." the Ylissean commented curiously.

"Duly noted."

"Where are you from?" Chrom inquired.

"I've traveled Ylisse for as long as I can remember. " That much was true….

"Who in Ylisse would teach you to kick? Certainly not the academies…"

"I just picked it up from my traveling companion, Marth." And he apparently overestimated his own ability to utilize it, an error unbefitting of a strategist. A strategist… hmm.

Chrom frowned. "Like I said, you should avoid doing that again; it will only get in your way," he advised. Waiting a few seconds and taking a deep breath, he resolved to move in. "I suppose it's time I finish this," he declared with restored stamina. He drew back his right arm, preparing his sword to strike.

Robin suddenly felt as if a fire burned through him, but it wasn't painful. It was… empowering. The feeling was especially strong in his right hand. He assessed the situation almost instantaneously, but Chrom was already bringing down his blade. It came in from his left, and Robin scrambled to bring his blade around to block it. He didn't have time.

"Eep" the yelp came from across the arena. Chrom faltered. Robin cast a wind spell against the floor with his left hand, propelling himself directly into the opening Chrom had left. Robin moved to punch Chrom's bare right shoulder with his other hand. Even before the strike landed, said shoulder was launched backward. In the split second that Chrom had hesitated, Robin had levelled the playing field.

However, even in his success, he was puzzled at his opponent's reaction. The punch hadn't made contact, and he hadn't cast any spell. And yet, the other champion's pain was undeniable. Unfortunately, there wasn't time to ponder the issue at present, and Robin's mind shifted back to the battle at hand.

Now that Chrom's shoulder was inexplicably injured, his strength was only on par with his opponent's. The two exchanged blows from above and to each side.

"Damn!" Chrom muttered. "Did you just use fire magic… _inside_ me?"

"I… I don't _think_ so. I don't even know how I would…"

"Whatever the case, it was effective." He grimaced.

He was right, of course; Robin realized that. He _also_ realized that, with his opponent weakened, the scales were tipped in his own favor. Transitioning into an offensive stance, he began to repeatedly swing from his right, where he expected to force his opponent to stretch his shoulder the most. Strike after strike came, each at a new angle, but all from the same side. Robin pulled back shortly before bringing all his weight down in a mostly vertical swing from that same side.

He vaguely heard something about a captain, some sort of cheering or encouragement. The two blades then met again. Suddenly, Chrom found the willpower to ignore the pain in his shoulder entirely. He pushed back in a deadlock, making one final attempt to take back the match.

And it worked. He threw Robin completely off-balance, knocking him to the floor. With just one more swing, he knocked his foe's sword out of his hands, sending it flying across the arena. And then he held out his hand.

It was his left hand, of course; he let his right hand hang limp. "You fought well." Chrom panted heavily now.

"Thank you." Robin accepted the hand up. "As did you. Of course, I don't have to tell you that." His own breathing was heavy as well.

With Robin now standing straight once again, Chrom began clutching his shoulder fiercely. He grunted quietly and turned to leave.

Robin looked at his hand, remembering what it had managed to do. Returning his gaze forward, he made to speak to Chrom; however, the Ylissean was already off the arena grounds. Robin had apparently spaced out for several minutes, and the half-hour rest period had begun.

Naturally, the only one around was Marth. The khans had most likely gone in search of some ale to last them until the final duel, while the Shepherds were undoubtedly healing Chrom's wound. A good number of the spectators had filed out. In the heat of the battle, Robin hadn't even registered that there _were_ spectators, but he assumed there had been thousands.

He approached his companion. "I assume you won." Robin stated in a questioning tone.

"That I did," Marth confirmed. "Though I doubt many were watching."

"What do you mean?"

"It wasn't an exciting duel. Clearly, they are and were betting on your opponent to win the tournament." He explained.

"You're saying that your opponent wasn't trying at all?"

"No, she was certainly trying. She was simply inexperienced. She fought today to give Chrom morale."

"For… morale? Huh." Robin pondered the thought for a moment. "It almost back-fired. He was about to beat me much earlier than he did; but, he dropped his guard when he heard what I assume was your opponent facing defeat."

Marth seemed to consider this for a moment, but he said nothing.

"Then again, he took the upper hand out of nowhere simply because of her cheering. Perhaps he only stumbled before because he was unable to help her."

"Yes, I suspect he could fend us both off if Sumia was in any real danger."

Robin thought to himself; that wasn't the kind of assertion he expected Marth to make. After all, he had clearly been avoiding any sort of emotional attachment since they had met. Still, Marth's eyes suggested he spoke from experience, as though he were familiar with it.

Now he was sure of it. It was hard to tell through the mask, but he certainly was recalling memories now, and they were probably not good ones given his expression.

"Maybe we should discuss strategy for your upcoming battle." Robin changed the subject, hoping this would serve as a distraction.

"... Yes. We should," Marth agreed. "But I know his fighting style. All I need to know is a weak point."

It was clear now that Marth had to force out those words. Despite the new subject his mind probably lingered on whatever he had been thinking about before.

"His right shoulder."

"... Excuse me?" Marth questioned.

"His right shoulder is his weak point. I injured it during our duel, and I doubt it will be completely healed. At the very least, it should slow his attacks down a bit."

"Right. Of course. Thank you," Marth said half absently.

Something was off. No matter what Robin said, nothing seemed to help. All things considered, though, he was lucky he hadn't made things worse somehow. Perhaps it would be better if he left well enough alone.

* * *

Lucina blocked her father's attack. He was as strong as she remembered, and she had difficulty fending him off. _You were always strong. Always stronger than me._ He pushed her back forcefully. She barely dodged his low sweep. _You always protected mother. You protected me, and you protected Cynthia._ A horizontal slice came in from the left, and she parried it. _You protected us with your life._

"Your sword… and my sword…," Chrom began. "How did you…?" he grunted.

Lucina remained silent.

"But that's impossible!" Chrom whispered sharply. "Where did you get that?"

Again, she did not acknowledge him.

The prince was bewildered. Upon realizing he wouldn't get an explanation, he defeatedly grew silent.

She swung upward from the right. _But I couldn't be strong. Not like you._ Falchion hit Falchion, and they bounced off each other… it bounced off itself… with a loud clink. _I tried to protect Cynthia. I tried, but I failed. I should have protected her with my life._ The blades met in another deadlock. The struggle was stagnant; neither side took over. She leaned back, losing her stance slightly. _But this is my second chance. This fresh world… this safe world… I'll keep it safe. And everyone in it._ She took two steps back under the increasing pressure. _I'll be strong now._

Lucina planted her feet in the ground firmly. She pushed back with all her strength and broke her father's grip. He was obviously caught by surprise. Arcing his blade in a forceful upward slash, he narrowly missed his daughter's right hand as she evaded Falchion.

She eyed the brand on his shoulder. _To some, it means peace. To others, it means hope._ She swung Falchion around to his right side. Chrom deflected the strike, turning to face her. The two traded blows in front. _But for Cynthia, it was just a target for Grima to aim at. Despite everything I did to defy him, he still went after her, not me._ She swung sharply down. _And he could always see it. He always knew where she was._ She arced Falchion upward. _It was just a target._ Once again, she tore downward with her sword, and up again in quick succession. Chrom was forced to hold his Falchion horizontally, blocking the continuous barrage of vertical strokes. _And now yours is a target, too. The only difference is, it's not Grima who's after you. It's me._ She maintained her assault, fueled purely by resentment for herself.

Lucina rammed Falchion's hilt into her father's shoulder. He stumbled back, and she swept lowly at his legs. Her blade nicked his shins, and his knees responded by buckling. She swung downward from her right, and he collapsed to his right knee upon blocking. She did the same on the left. _I'm sorry. I didn't want to do this._ Finally, she bent her own left knee and slammed it into her father's weak shoulder. He fell back instantly. Only now did she realize just how hard she was breathing. The audience fell silent, most likely stunned by her display of raw power. Robin probably thought he was hallucinating. A gust of wind could be heard passing through the massive room.

Chrom lay eyes closed on the tiles, right hand outstretched toward his Falchion, which lay inches away, yet out of reach. His breaths were deep and constant, and his teeth were gritted together. His eyebrows were scrunched. Layers of bruises covered his swelling shoulder, but the Brand of the Exalt remained clear and not discolored.

Lucina held out her hand, gripping Falchion. She tightened and relaxed, tightened and relaxed. Her other hand came up to her face, to her left eye. She was startled to find cold, unreceptive steel.

Lucina outstretched her arm and released Falchion, dropping it near her father's blade. She glanced at him, and then at the swords. And there they lay, one crossing the other, crossing itself…. Two Falchions.

 _But I have too many people depending on me._

* * *

 **I decided this chapter deserved to keep the same title. Sue me.**

 **In a lot of FE:A fics, Lucina and her mother don't often get a lot of mother-daughter time apart from giving/receiving romantic advice. This is due, in part, to Lucina having so many possible mothers. I've gotten so used to Sumia being Lucina's mother (as have many of you, I'm sure) that I couldn't help but at least _try_ to make one of these scenes. *Fingers crossed I did a good enough job* **

**It was also a lot of fun to bring out Lucina's character (or at least my perspective on it). Since she's hiding her identity (and also cutting herself off emotionally) it's rare to have an opportunity to do this so early on. Rest assured, though - she will gradually start to come out of her shell soon.**

 **And here, I'll address the only review that I need to address individually. (As for the others, the answers are "Thank you!", "You're welcome!", and "Hang in there, it'll come soon.")**

... **Elasmotherium:** I had an interesting idea. Since Robin and Lucina have known each other much longer in this fanfic, maybe they could enter a relationship before the 2-year time skip. That way, they can have a baby Morgan to grow up alongside her infant mother,... and I just realized how weird that sounded.

 **Me:** *Please read the _whole_ response, or else you'll get the wrong impression:

'Breaking down walls' is a great philosophy for stories, and I know many fics (and books and novels) that use it, and they do great. However, I feel it's quite unrealistic. My philosophy is, and you can quote me on this, "It's not about breaking down walls. It's about knowing when to open the door." So while this story does focus on Robin and Lucina, it will take them a while to actually be in a relationship. That's not to say there won't be tender moments, though.

As for Morgan, I admit she will almost not appear in this story. However, I am _currently_ writing the sequel to this story so it doesn't take so long for me to update when it comes. Morgan will be extremely important to that story. (Also, don't worry; I suspect anybody who reads FE:A fics is used to that kind of weirdness.)

.. _._

 **Overall, this chapter was super fun to write. Between character development and plot progression (Basilio is now the reigning khan), it really was fun. It was also great to add in some foreshadowing. Plus the symbolism there at the very end. Rest assured that you don't need to recognize the foreshadowing or the symbolism to understand the story.  
**

 **I'm happy to say there are over a hundred followers now! (The math nerd inside me is almost as happy that I now have 128 followers. Don't ask.) As always, reviews are appreciated in any form, and if you have any advice or any questions, just let me know.**


	6. A Mask and a Promise

A Mask and a Promise

 _Cynthia stared off into the open field, the grassy plain glimmering ironically in the never-ending flames. Grima's flames burned hot, and they never died out. Why they eased Cynthia tonight, she wasn't sure. The thought of the upcoming battle should have put her in a low mood, but it just… calmed her. It was like her subconscious knew something she didn't._

 _"You seem unusually quiet tonight," Lucina commented as she approached. "Why are you so far out of camp?"_

 _"... Huh?" Her sister had a point; it wasn't like her to be so removed._

 _"It's not like you to be so removed," Lucina echoed, coincidentally._

 _Cynthia breathed deeply. "So this is what Mom and Dad faced every day. One more battle, one more restless night."_

 _Lucina nodded. "But they had good friends to help them through the hard times."_

 _"You mean the Shepherds?"_

 _She nodded again._

 _Cynthia sighed. "When we were little, Owain, Gerome and I used to play a game called 'Justice Cabal'. We would hear stories about our parents' heroism, and we wanted to be just like them. Heh. Mom's been my inspiration throughout my whole childhood. Now, too."_

 _The sisters sat in silence for several moments._

 _"I remember father used to take me to the Shepherds' yearly reunions. They were so close," she recalled. "All of them."_

 _"Mmm." Cynthia acknowledged._

 _Lucina actually laughed, but only for a second. "We can barely manage that with half as many, and we've had years."_

 _Cynthia wanted to mention that Lucina wasn't exactly helping, what with her near isolation, but she thought better of it. "They didn't just have the Shepherds, you know. They helped each other the most."_

 _"Hmm. That's true."_

 _"Uncle used to say their bond was their greatest strength, and also their biggest weakness."_

 _"Uncle Frederick said that?" Lucina asked, bewildered._

 _"No, not Uncle Frederick."_

 _"... Then who?"_

 _"I don't remember his name. I just called him 'Uncle'."_

 _"It seems like I would remember him." Lucina's eyes drifted up and left, and she pursed her lips._

 _"It does, doesn't it…? Aunt Lissa said he died in Plegia, just like mom and dad. We lost so many people that day… I guess we were bound to forget one or two eventually."_

 _"I guess so. It still doesn't feel right, though - to forget those who gave their lives."_

 _The two stood in silence for a few moments._

 _"Uncle told me once that he wished he could have that kind of bond with someone, like Mom and Dad did. He said his life felt full and empty, both at the same time. He probably figured I was too young to pay attention," Cynthia mused._

 _Lucina nodded lightly._

 _"Do you ever wish you could have that?" Cynthia asked._

 _Lucina tilted her head. "... Sorry?"_

 _"You know, to get married. Maybe have a kid or two. Do you ever want that?"_

 _"Heh. I don't know. I suppose it would be nice, in some ways… but can you really imagine_ me _settling down?"_

 _Cynthia giggled. "That's pretty hard to imagine, I admit. I think there's a chance, though."_

 _"I guess that's possible." Lucina smiled. "Fate may not give me that choice. But it's nice to think not everything is set in stone." She sighed. "That's what I'm betting on."_

* * *

"Are you alright?" Robin asked as he and Lucina continued down the path. He understood that she liked to keep to herself, and normally he respected that. But she unfortunately hadn't been doing enough to conceal her frustration; accordingly, she'd worn a telling face ever since the tournament.

"I'm fine," she said unconvincingly.

"You don't _look_ fine. You look like you're stressing over something."

"It doesn't matter. My problems are my problems, not yours," she argued.

"It doesn't have to be that way, you know."

"It's my weight to bear, and mine alone. It's the consequence of my own actions, and you have no stake in it. And that is that." Lucina barely kept her voice disguised as she spoke forcefully. Now matter how much he might offer to help, she wasn't willing to drag anyone else under the boat with her.

"If you really don't want to talk about it, I'll stop asking. Just remember that you can't hold your emotions in forever."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said begrudgingly. "Now we need to move faster if we're to reach Ylisstol anytime soon."

Finally, with that intrusion out of the way, she could turn her thoughts to… more unpleasant matters. Robin was right about _one_ thing, at least. She _was_ stressing over something. Even amidst her regret and reminiscence, one question resurfaced every so often: why did Robin seem so familiar?

* * *

Lucina shifted her mask involuntarily. Something was bothering her. She felt like she was trying to remember, to recall a memory that didn't exist. It was like wanting to say something but not knowing the right words. In that regard, she was both frustrated and confused. Needless to say, that wasn't something she enjoyed.

Automatically adjusting her mask back to its original position, she frowned. This was just one more emotional issue on the pile, and she couldn't afford to deal with that just yet. It certainly didn't help that Robin was trying to dig up all those memories, even if his intentions were good. _Were_ his intentions good though? He could be putting on an elaborate ploy- no, wait. She had planning to do, and becoming paranoid would only get in the way. With only two weeks to plan a palace break-in, things were a bit too complicated. Of course, if it weren't for a certain tag-along amnesiac, it wouldn't be nearly so much of a problem. Now she faced the trouble of figuring out how to leave him behind on that particular night.

She heard a scratching sound coming from Robin's direction. Looking at him, she found him dragging his fingernail along an open page in a book. "Um, if you don't mind my asking… what are you doing?"

"Huh? Oh, this?" Robin realized, halting his work and raising the text so it was in clear view. "This is the study on battle techniques that I got last time we were in Ylisstol. The one I dropped in the mud," he explained. "I've been trying to get the dirt off of it for some time now, but I'm nearly done."

"Oh…" she accepted hesitantly. It seemed pretty obsessive, but otherwise it was harmless. "I see."

Robin returned to his efforts, and Lucina watched on in confused curiosity. The two continued down the road back to Ylisstol, walking silently and with purposeful speed, despite the distraction. One mindlessly chipping away at hardened mud while the other engaged in the constant and unending task of steeling herself, they made quite the irregular pair; still, they didn't seem to care, if they even noticed.

Robin stumbled, barely holding onto his book and maintaining balance. "Heh. I can't let _that_ happen again," he teased himself. "At least the ground is dry this time…" He straightened his posture, now glancing at his feet every so often.

Noticing the surroundings for the first time in a good while, Lucina found herself passing through a low point in between rolling hills, the long grass mostly still and drying in the late afternoon sun. It was hot, she assumed, although she'd grown numb to temperatures after… well, sometime after Grima was revived. Her apathy to heat and the lack thereof had certainly come in handy in her journey to Regna Ferox. The plants were not faring as well as she, however, as the last spring flowers and the early summer ones had apparently stopped blooming during the journey north and back. The only blossoms in sight were those nestled along a light, trickling stream a ways off in the distance. Perhaps sometime she would have the chance to admire them for longer, once her work was done; but now, she reminded herself that she couldn't afford distractions - not in her line of work.

Lucina withdrew once again to her thoughts. It turned out that it wouldn't be so hard to sneak away from Robin on the night of the assassination; she just had to distract him with books. Resisting the urge to smirk at the single-mindedness the man showed when it came to studying battle, she was free to prepare her approach. Now, if she could just locate that hole in the wall; she remembered it clearly, but there was a chance that her father hadn't broken it yet. In reality, locating the assassins would probably turn out to be easier than locating her father, so she settled on that approach; _he_ would come to _her_. After that, it was just a matter of informing him of the attempt on his life before it happened; timing would be of utter importance.

"Almost… there…. Got it!" Robin ran his fingernails together, cleaning the dirt out from under them. He then raised the book to his face and held it face-up in front of him, briskly blowing across its surface in order to remove the remaining particles of dirt. Finally, he held it in a reading position, all at once becoming engrossed in his studies.

Reluctant but once again curious, Lucina peered over to glance at the restored book. Her breath caught as she registered the title of the left page: _Aether_.

* * *

 _Meanwhile..._

Gangrel sat atop the ledge, peering down at the wretched Ylissean scum. While his hostage was kept safely away from the action, his men seemed to be putting on a decent fight. Fortunately, they didn't have to win. All they had to do was fight. As long as he kept his hostage, the war would undoubtedly be reciprocated. And to think, all this over one little girl. As a bonus, a kid mage had waltzed right into his hands.

The Shepherds weren't in any position to charge the hill. Even if they did, Gangrel had archers ready to hold them at bay. He had secured his war, and nothing would stop him from pounding Ylisse into dust - especially not these miserable little Shepherds.

Chrom called out for the Shepherds to form up. The entire force was made up of only ten: Chrom himself, four mounted figures, an axe wielder, a mage, a cleric, a swordsman, and an archer. To their credit, they were holding off a force twice as large, but they still failed to push through. That was a relief.

"Aversa, how many soldiers do we have down there?" Gangrel inquired.

"About two dozen, sir," she informed him.

"And how many of them need to live?"

Aversa chuckled. "None, sir."

Gangrel let out a shrieking cackle. "Right you are! We'll have their heads by nightfall!"

Suddenly, one of the men stationed at the foot of the mountain simply dropped for no apparent reason. Something was off. Again, a lancer a couple steps behind him wore a confused look on his face, and he immediately met with the same mysterious fate as the first. A third fell, and then a fourth; both bowmen standing a little further up the slope. Eventually, the remaining archers were able to locate the advancing threat. They began shooting in the direction of the force, but Gangrel still couldn't see it. What he _could_ see was that the arrows were doing no good. The path was being cleared to the guards that held the hostages. Said guards were, despicably, paying absolutely no attention to the battle.

He squinted down, finally seeing a single, heavily-armored man. "Morons!" he complained. "Take out that soldier!" he hollered, trying to make himself audible over the skirmish; he did so to no avail.

This was a complete mess; the armored Shepherd easily escaped with the brats, and the soldiers tasked with defending them were completely unaware. The Shepherds began to retreat. "Wonderful. Just wonderful," he muttered sardonically. "Aversa, remind me to have a chat with General Vasto about his personal safety."

"Of course, milord. But remember," Aversa eased, "you still have your war; that _is_ why we came, after all."

Gangrel sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right. And there's no sense in sticking around any longer…. It's time to prepare for the invasion!"

The two turned about face and marched in the direction of Plegia, mostly satisfied. Despite the setback, Gangrel was going to have a _lot_ of fun.

* * *

 _"Daddy says you're leaving again. You, and him, and Mommy. Is that true?"_

 _"I'm afraid so, Lucina." Robin smiled sadly._

 _"Aww…" Lucina pouted. "Aunt Lissa said she didn't have to go."_

 _Robin frowned. "_ Aunt Lissa _doesn't know what she's talking about."_

 _"Hmph!" She crossed her arms across her cream-colored dress._

 _"Come on, cheer up! We'll be back before you know it!" he encouraged._

 _"But you'll miss my birthday! I was gonna ask you to teach me magic…" She looked down._

 _"I can still teach you; we'll just start a few days later," he offered, flattered._

 _"... Fine. But promise me, ok?"_

 _Robin sighed. "I promise. We'll even set a date, ok? We can start on… the first day of May. How does that sound?"_

 _"I'd still rather have you all stay here, but I guess this is ok, too." Lucina smiled._

 _"Alright." He ruffled her hair. "And you know what? I'll give you your present early, so that you can have it on your birthday. Come with me, and we'll go get it right now."_

 _"Really?! Ok!" She grabbed his hand and ran off, exiting the courtyard in no particular direction._

 _"Hold on, not so fast," Robin stopped, forcing Lucina to do the same._

 _"What is it?" she asked, anxious to receive her first gift._

 _"We're going the wrong way. My room is on the other side of the castle."_

 _"Oops." Lucina blushed. She then followed Robin carefully, walking slowly on his side. She certainly wasn't going to go the wrong way again._

 _The two wound their way through the seemingly complex system of hallways and rooms. First taking a right, then a left, and then another left, they came to Robin's quarters, once again on the left._

 _"Here we are," Robin announced, purposefully leaving the door open. "Follow me."_

 _The pair crossed the room to a bookshelf, and the older of the two retrieved an old book of lore. Opening it up to a page near the beginning, he found what he was looking for._

 _"You got me a book?" Coming from anyone else, she probably would have been disappointed, but she knew Robin kept some really interesting ones._

 _"Actually, no. But I wanted to show you this picture before I give you your present."_

 _"It's a portrait," she observed._

 _"Go on, read the caption."_

 _"'Ruler of Altea, the Hero King Marth. He was known for his skill with the sword and the love he had for his people,'" she read. "Hey, I've heard of him before. Daddy says we're related to him."_

 _"That's right. For hundreds of years, your family has been protecting the world, and all its people. It's a lot to live up to, but I know you can do it."_

 _Lucina grinned in delight._

 _"Now, let's get your present," Robin suggested. "Here, come over to the mirror."_

 _He and Lucina approached the large, wall-mounted mirror opposite his bed. Motioning for her to stay there, he grabbed a box from atop his wardrobe. Returning to the mirror, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Close your eyes."_

 _She did so. "What are you doing?"_

 _"I'm… giving you… your present," he spoke disconnectedly as he pulled her hair back, tucking it into her dress collar._

 _"Can I open my eyes yet?" she requested._

 _"Not quite yet…" He waited for a second before placing something cold on her face. Fortunately, it didn't remain cold for long, as it absorbed her body heat."Now you can look."_

 _Opening her eyes, Lucina nearly squealed in delight, containing her ecstatic reaction with a wide smile. "I look just like the Hero King!" She beamed._

 _"You certainly do! Well, a shorter version of him," he supplied._

 _"Hey!"_

 _"I'm just kidding! You look great!" He raised his hands defensively, a playful smirk still present on his face._

 _She quickly returned to her excited state. "So now I can be like the Hero King," she marveled._

 _"That's not all there is to it, though." Robin gained a more serious appearance and tone._

 _"It's not?"_

 _Robin shook his head._

 _"What else do you mean?" Lucina wondered aloud._

 _"Do you remember when we had that special talk a few days ago?" he asked._

 _"You mean the one about fighting?"_

 _"Mhm. And do you remember the reason why we fight?" he continued, clearly heading somewhere._

 _Lucina nodded. "To protect the people who can't protect themselves. That way, they can make the world better and happier." She looked for confirmation, which she received._

 _"That's right. And what did we compare them to?"_

 _"Umm… butterflies?" she recalled._

 _"Now look at your mask," he instructed. "What does it look like?"_

 _"It looks like… a butterfly," she realized. "It's a butterfly."_

 _He smiled. "That's right. That mask represents the people we fight to protect."_

 _"That's so cool!" Lucina declared._

 _"I'm glad to hear that."_

 _"Thanks for the present, Uncle Robin," she said, preparing to leave to show her friends._

 _"Hold on one second, Lucina," he requested._

 _"What is it?"_

 _"Before you take this mask, I want you to promise me something."_

 _"Ok. What do you want me to promise?"_

 _"Promise that, when you fight, this mask will be a reminder for you. I don't want you to forget."_

 _"Alright, Uncle Robin." She smiled gently. "I promise." She paused for a moment. "And thanks." The princess then darted out of the room, eager to show Cynthia and Owain._

 _Robin continued speaking, now to nobody but himself. "You must be very proud, Chrom. Lucina is growing up into a fine young woman. I'm sure of it."_

 _He also felt some pride, knowing that he was able to help guide her in this one area. Sighing, he let out a sad smile._

* * *

 **I'm on schedule! Hooray! So this chapter was pretty light on plot, but it did have _some_ important plot points. Don't worry, though; there will be plenty of action next chapter. My chapters parallel the chapters in the game (until we get to the time jump), so if you account for my prologue, that makes this chapter 5. And in chapter 6 of the game, the assassination is attempted. So yeah, that's where we're headed. *Smirks**

 **For those of you who were wondering how Lucina gets a new, full-sized mask, the answer is that she didn't. It turns out that a person has 95% of their head-size by the time they turn nine. Further, I told you here so I didn't have to pull a "Miriel says that..." moment just to explain it all.**

 **Also, thanks once again to gokart48 for being this story's beta. This chapter would have been a bit more contrived without him.**

 **Now for reviews:**

...

 **Antex-The Legendary Zoroark:** ...Anyway, you're making a SEQUEL?!...

 **Me:** Yeah. I wouldn't be doing that, except for one reason. This sequel was my original story idea, but it needed there to be a few changes to the main story. Thus, this story was born in order to set up for that one. It may as well be one story; there is a climax in between, but there's far less resolution in this one.

...

 **Victory3114:** So Lucina beat Chrom? o.o I thought her intention was to throw the fight and grant Ylisse their reinforcements...

 **Me:** About that... During chapter 4 (chapter 3 after the prologue), Lucina demanded that Basilio provide the reinforcements if he wanted her to champion him. My beta is politely restraining his "I told you so" right now. He predicted that some people wouldn't remember.

...

 **The rest of the answers are spoilers.**


	7. Interloper

Interloper

(Original Timeline, Grima and Robin)

"I… I don't understand. Why isn't this working?!" Grima whispered to himself as he held his hand out toward the young Lucina, who slept undisturbed in her quarters. "My power is failing me!"

"...It's because I won't let you."

"You! You have no power over me; I crushed your soul months ago!"

"I thought you said you knew everything about bonds." Robin mocked. "If that were true, you wouldn't have even bothered coming here."

"You know the reason I can't hurt her? Tell me now!"

"You've seized control of me; my mind is at your will. You know that as well as I do. But, it seems you're in denial that your great power has limits."

"That's a lie! The power of the Fell Dragon is unlimited."

"And yet you stand here powerless to harm this little girl. That's pretty pathetic, if you ask me," Robin continued. "But you desire to increase your power, because at your core, you know you don't have it all. Your lust for power is stronger than your denial. You'll find it in yourself eventually to admit your weakness in this situation."

"Get on with it, already. You clearly won't shut up until you get what you want."

"The only thing left for me in the world, aside from her safety, is to hear your reaction when you realize there is no way you can ever hurt her." Robin admitted.

Grima grew impatient. "Then speak, before I burn the whole castle down around her!"

"Bonds are powerful things, Grima. You know that as well as I do," Robin began. "They can be twisted, stretched, or worn thin, but they can only be broken by those who forged them. Of course, you already knew that."

He grimaced. "So I just have to eliminate you for good."

"I don't have to worry about that. My strongest bond, as much as I loath it, is with you. I can't leave this world until you do."

"This still doesn't explain everything."

"My, you certainly are prideful," Robin remarked. "My bond with Lucina may not be as strong as the bond you forced upon me. But it is strong enough that I can at least protect her. And, as I said earlier, there is nothing you can do to break that bond."

Grima scowled.

"You know I'm right. Stop wasting your time, and get out of here."

"Very well." Grima decided, turning to exit the room. As he moved toward the door, he heard a faint snoring. "That snoring… it's not Lucina."

Robin inhaled sharply.

Grima chuckled quietly. "You thought you could use my pride against me. You were right, you know. I am a very prideful being."

Robin was silent.

"I have to say, your plan was brilliant - and it almost worked. But no more."

"... What?"

"Why play dumb? You know the two greatest minds are yours and my own. Or should I say they're both mine? But you figured I would be too arrogant to search your mind if you just told me what I expected to hear; and you were right. I would never have learned about Cynthia, were it not for her snoring - and she is the leverage I need.

"So," Grima continued, "you'd better find a way to break your bond with Lucina. That is, if you don't want her to see her favorite uncle put an end to her little sister."

"You know I have a bond with her as well," Robin countered.

"Heh. These bonds take time to develop. And that one isn't strong enough yet."

"... But if I do break my bond with Lucina, you will just kill her. Don't try to make an idiot of a man who outsmarted you just moments ago."

"Very well, then." Grima conceded. "It seems I need your cooperation, and I will get it."

"And what about Cynthia? Will you not just kill her as soon as I place the spell?" Robin continued.

"Think, Robin! She is much more valuable to me alive than dead. And that will continue to be true as long as you're willing to make sacrifices for her."

"... I suppose that's true," Robin admitted. "I have a proposition. I'll allow you to erase Lucina's memory, but the spell can't take affect for a few days. In the place of her memories, you have to put a warning to flee."

"That seems acceptable," Grima hastily assented.

"I'm not done yet; I have one more condition."

"You have some backbone, I'll give you that."

"Before you place this spell, you need to expend most of your energy; you should only have enough for this one spell. That way, you'll be forced to retreat to the Dragon's Table to recover."

"... Fine. It seems we've met an agreeable deal. I accept." Grima smirked. "Just know this one thing: I will find them, and I will wipe out the Exalted bloodline once and for all."

* * *

Marth had suggested that they stay in an inn near Ylisstol's edge so that they might train. Naturally, Robin had no qualms with staying in shape.

On that note, he couldn't help but notice that Marth wasn't quite as thin as he had been when they'd first met. On the one hand, it was a relief. But, considering that the two hadn't been able to find food every single day, Robin had to wonder how starved Marth must have been prior to their meeting for his current condition to somehow be an improvement. It was kind of frightening, honestly. That was in the past, though. As long as Robin could help it, neither of them would go hungry.

He then made his way to his destination, where he identified his companion awaiting him on the make-shift training grounds. The area was clear of activity and separated from structures, so it would certainly suffice.

Before he even had a chance to register what was going on, Robin found himself situated on the opposite end of the area from Marth, wooden practice sword in hand. Everything was happening too quickly. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself before Marth's inevitable charge. It was all too familiar, being so lost in thought that he couldn't even recall his own actions. Attempting to clear his thoughts, Robin shook his head and blew out briskly.

And then, Marth charged. Robin intercepted the first strike and was taken aback by the sudden pressure. Marth's strength was surprising, to say the least. His speed, however, was key. Rapidly coming forward with back-and-forth horizontal slices, he forced Robin to take several steps back.

This was triggering memories, something Robin had seen before. But, it was different from what he'd seen from Marth so far as he could recall. The closest he could remember for certain was his vertical repetition against Chrom back during the tournament.

Jolting back to the present, Robin realized he had been fighting off instinct while he reminisced. As a result, he would have trouble remembering Marth's last few actions and then formulating a strategy.

Marth came forward with a downward chop, which Robin countered. The two were evenly matched in the resulting deadlock. Marth escaped from the encounter and made for a low sweep.

"What's with all this intensity?" he tried, hoping his opponent would realize the overkill.

"I'm simply preparing for the future." A frown suddenly plastered itself on Marth's face, as if he was scowling at himself.

That approach wasn't going to work any time soon, so Robin opted for a different tactic - casual conversation, a sure-fire way to lessen the tension. "So, do you have a family?"

Robin immediately found himself grounded by an unusually placed hilt slam to his rib cage. His breathing was now rapid and difficult, begging far more effort than normal. I'm just swell at this whole 'casual conversation' thing, aren't I? "I think I'll stay down here for a second, alright?"

"Suit yourself."

"If this is how you spar with friends, I'd hate to face you in battle…" Robin continued, panting.

"We are simply acquaintances. Nothing more," Marth reminded.

"So you keep saying," Robin chuckled, spurring a small coughing fit. "Anyway, what's the plan next?"

"... We're going to the library."

"And here I thought you said we weren't friends." Robin smirked.

"It just so happens that I have a few subjects I need to research as well," he claimed, sounding unsure.

"Alright, then. I look forward to seeing what you find."

* * *

Robin rounded the corner toward his favorite set of books; for obvious reasons, he found tactical manuals and battle-related books to be practical, but they also fascinated him. The thought that certain strategies were simply presented to the world for all to see and yet were still effective - that was almost incomprehensible. 'Almost' was the operative word, though, and Robin accepted the challenge of either figuring out why that was or proving that theory wrong.

If only he didn't have to carry everything around with him, he'd check out some of the novels, too. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be possible any time soon.

In the corner of his eye he saw Marth approach a shelf and shuffle through a number of books before carefully removing one. It was in the 'histories' section. From across the room, all Robin could make out was the title, The Origin of the Nations.

As Marth left the aisle, Robin took his place, trying to find another copy of the text. As luck would have it, there were several. He opened one and flipped through the first few pages, and suddenly he was greeted by a shockingly familiar face - or rather, everything except the face. Aside from the mask, or lack thereof, the man portrayed on the page resembled Marth perfectly in hair, stature, and dress. What was more, the caption underneath the image referred to the man as "Marth."

As if to confirm what he was thinking, Robin looked frantically around the room to find Marth. The one he knew, of course. This time, luck was not in his favor: Marth was nowhere to be seen. Dropping the book and rushing out of the shop to locate his companion, he quickly searched the empty streets.

Something caught his eye; movement, quick motion several blocks further into the city. It did, in fact, have blue coloration.

Naturally, questions began to surge through Robin's mind, most of them pertaining to Marth's identity. There was one thing he knew with certainty, though: if he didn't keep his focus, he could lose his companion at any moment. Winding his way through the streets of Ylisstol in pursuit of Marth, Robin drew closer and closer to his unknown destination near the city-center.

* * *

Lucina made her way left from the hole in the wall, the one made by her father. It was a miracle she'd remembered it after so long, but there wasn't yet time to be thankful. She maneuvered quietly in the underbrush which tended to sprout at the castle walls. Careful not to physically run into any assassins, she listened closely for her father's voice.

Nothing. The area was silent. Moving on, she once again found an open courtyard, and she paused. Still nothing. Yet another time, she shuffled along until she reached a place likely to hold wandering residence, the Eastern Gate. Nothing.

Trying one last idea, Lucina found her way to the inner garden. On the bench beside the apple tree, both of which she'd grown inexplicably fond of, sat her parents. Her fondness for them, of course, was entirely explicable. She listened closely.

"Shouldn't you be at the war meeting?" her mother asked.

"Still? No, they're pretty short. Usually just me and my sister butting heads while nobody else gives input, and I eventually have to give up. Really, I ought to hire someone to help with that."

"But what about your briefing with Frederick?"

"I can't get out of those meetings fast enough. I have half a mind to march down a gravel road somewhere so he can drive himself mad instead of me," her father replied. "But anyway, I've finished my duties until tomorrow."

"Oh." Her gaze remained forward and distant. Lucina took the next few moments of silence to stealthily approach.

"Was there any particular reason you asked me to come her?"

"No…. Nothing special, anyway. I just thought you seemed extra tired recently, so I baked you another pie." She removed the pastry from beneath the bench.

"Oh, you didn't have to do this, Sumia. It must have been such a hassle."

"No trouble at all, really! And I wouldn't want you feeling less than your best."

"... alright, I won't complain. Thank you, Sumia," he agreed. "Would you care to share it, then?"

"Oh! Thank you, sir."

"Nonsense. It was you who baked the pie, after all, so don't thank me."

"Sorry to interrupt," Lucina said, stepping into the clearing. "But I'm afraid the pie will have to wait."

"You - you're the one who defeated me at the tournament," her father recalled.

She nodded.

"How'd you get in here?"

"Through the cleft in the wall, behind the maple grove."

He began muttering to himself inaudibly before proceeding with the unexpected conversation. "That only caved in a week ago, and yet you found it so quickly. I thought I'd covered it well enough."

"And so you did; you need not fear my knowledge of it, for I have told none others."

"I am inclined to trust you," he reasoned, "seeing how you provided Ylisse with Feroxi reinforcements. Still, I'm a bit weary of those who break into my home at night. And you, sir. If you have anything to aid your cause, it would be much appreciated."

"Unfortunately, I can't prove my trustworthiness quite yet. But until then, feel free to draw your sword, if it comforts you."

"Chrom, I can… I can vouch for him."

"Sumia, you know this man?" he questioned.

"... Not especially well, but… he taught me to fight. Back in Ferox," she explained. "I doubt an enemy would do that."

"I suppose not," he conceded. "And admittedly, you do have an air of justice rather than malice."

"I appreciate the help," Lucina thanked. "Perhaps now I should explain my presence."

"Yes, perhaps you should," her father agreed.

"I've come to warn you that the Exalt's life is in danger."

"... Tonight? But how?" he questioned.

"If I… if I said I'd seen the future, what then? I don't suppose your trust extends that far…" Lucina proposed.

"This is too important to gamble on your trustworthiness."

"Very well, sir," she accepted. "Plegian assassins have entered the castle this very night, though I know not how. They seek to kill Exalt Emmeryn." A rustling caught her ear, emanating from the brush behind her. "But hers is not the only life at stake. I believe this should be sufficient proof."

Lucina drew Falchion, and her father did the same. Then, she turned around fully, extending her blade toward the bush which caused the noise. An unsuspecting assassin immediately emerged from his cover and impaled himself on the sword. Lucina looked to her father, who nodded his understanding.

She sheathed Falchion. "Now we defend the Exalt."

"Right," Chrom agred. "This way." He turned to enter a nearby corridor. Suddenly, another rustling came from the same direction as the last. Lucina turned to face it, but already the second assassin was approaching rapidly. She didn't even have time to draw Falchion.

* * *

Robin crept quietly up to the shrubs touching the castle wall. "Marth" had disappeared behind them. His better sense told him not to follow him, but shortly after Marth's entry into the castle, he caught sight of a trailing hooded figure wielding a shortsword; there were very few ways this could play out, and Robin certainly wasn't keen on leaving it to chance.

As he had assumed, there was a secret entrance of sorts behind the brush, although said entrance didn't look intentional. Plus, the stones which once made up that portion of the wall could be found outside the walls, indicating somebody inside was the cause.

Moving on, Robin entered the castle grounds. He couldn't see Marth, though, so he quickly decided his best bet was to make up his mind quickly. Carefully moving to the right alongside the walls, minutes passed in unceasing furtiveness until he heard voices coming from nearer the castle itself. Seeing as he had snuck onto castle grounds uninvited, it followed that there were likely guards who wouldn't appreciate his presence.

The voices came from behind an apple tree. One of them belonged to Chrom, the man he'd fought in Ferox. Was it possible that he was an Ylissean royal? Robin figured someone of such high status wouldn't be risking his life for the sake of a foreign ruler's politics, but it did make sense when he recalled what Marth had said to Khan Basilio: Yliss is threatened by war and have sent messengers to request an alliance, or something like that. It was certainly possible that a deal had been struck, soldiers in exchange for champions. Whatever the case, Marth too had seemed pretty adamant about Ylisse receiving Feroxi reinforcements, so it stood to reason she'd come into contact with the Ylissean royalty at some point.

The other voice was a woman's. It seemed familiar, but he couldn't place it. Moving forward to hear better, he saw that the woman was the pegasus rider who'd competed in the tournament.

Without warning, Marth emerged from the shadows behind them. "Sorry to interrupt, but the pie will have to wait."

Robin was determined to not be distracted for once; he listened intently to every word. It was fortunate that he had overheard this conversation; Marth's ability to predict the future would certainly be an important piece of knowledge should it prove true.

That was when the assassin emerged from the underbrush opposite Robin and basically plunged right into Marth's sword. Check - Marth definitely knew the future.

"Now we defend the Exalt."

"Right. This way."

A glint caught Robin's eye, coming from the bush which had hidden the assassin. Without thinking, Robin rushed forward, and everything began to move slowly. He passed Chrom; the second assassin charged Marth; Robin felt that fire in his right hand again, like he had when he fought Chrom in Ferox. Robin outstretched his hand in front of Marth's face; he cast a wind spell; the assassin's blade was pushed aside. Marth's head flew back as if punched; he collapse; and finally, everything returned to normal speed.

Quickly making good work of the intruder, Chrom turned to Robin. "It seems we have yet another guest."

"My apologies. I'm-"

"Robin, I remember," Chrom sighed. "I know your skill, and if your allegiance lies with Marth, I'll trust you for the time being." He turned to look at Marth. "We've spent enough time gathering ourselves.

Robin nodded, hoisting Marth over his shoulder.

Chrom ran toward the Exalt's chambers, and Robin hurried as quickly as he could while bearing Marth's weight. The nearly silent Sumia brought up the rear.

"Do you have any soldiers at your disposal?" Robin asked.

"Only Emmeryn's guard are awake, and I'd be willing to guess they're undergoing a shift change right about now."

"You don't even know when the shifts end? If that information is so well kept, I can't fathom how the assassins would have known."

Chrom shrugged. "The Shepherds' barracks is within the castle grounds, though. Sumia, you'll need to go there to get your lance. You should wake the others while you're there."

"Of course, captain!" Sumia complied, turning off in another direction.

Robin looked at Chrom as they made their way down the hall. It was fortunate that the assassins were so intent on remaining hidden, for their speed suffered as a result. The pair would certainly reach Emmeryn's chambers first.

"Do you mind if I help with the battle plans? I'm sort of an amateur strategist, a tactician, if you will. I figure I could learn from your own strategist," Robin requested.

"An amateur is all we have, as well; any help in that field is welcome." Chrom came to a halt. "We're here. My sister is just through those doors."

"Your sister? So you are royalty. I wasn't certain…"

"You weren't certain I was royalty until after you broke into my castle?" Chrom asked incredulously. "But enough of all this. Maybe now would be a good time to wake Emmeryn."

"Then the assassins would know for certain that we've caught on. We can't have that," Robin input.

Chrom nodded his agreement. "I suppose we've spent our luck already, considering we've yet to see any assassins near the throne room."

"I'm quite the lucky fellow myself." The new voice came from the shadow several feet away. "It's a shame that tonight turned sour so quickly, though. Might be the least lucky I've been."

"Show yourself, or you'll find luck won't be enough," Chrom challenged.

"Easy there, now. I'm not here to hurt anyone." The redhead came out of the darkness, dagger in hand.

Chrom put his palm to his forehead. "Not another on…. Does everyone breaking in to the castle tonight expect me to trust them?"

"Slow down there, big guy. Lucky for you, you don't have to trust me. You just have to pay me."

"What do you mean? Pay you for what? You broke in."

"You can pay me to fight for you. Allow me to explain," he offered. "The name's Gaius." He stuck out his hand.

"Get on with it," Chrom said impatiently.

"Geez, don't blow your lid." Gaius retracted his hand. "I came here to rob the exalt; they never said we were gonna kill her. Now, I may be a thief, but I'm an honorable one; I'm no assassin."

"... Righ. Sure," Chrom remarked.

"The point is, I could still make out of here with quite the haul. But, I could be persuaded to… reconsider my priorities."

"Perhaps Frederick was right," Chrom muttered. He then spoke up. "Fine. I'll pay you. I'm tired of dealing with all… this."

"You don't find this fun?" Robin teased.

Footsteps began to echo down the hall, and Chrom and Robin drew their weapons. Before long, the Shepherds became visible down the hall, and all of them eventually grouped together outside Emmeryn's room. It wouldn't be long before the enemy realized they were expected.

"Hey, Chrom," a shirtless axe-wielder hollered. "We caught little miss here sneaking around. She says she's here to help." He gestured toward a rather hairy woman with pointed ears atop her head.

Chrom balled his fists. "I'm done with this!" he whispered fiercely to himself. "Yes, Vaike, she can fight. But keep an eye on her. Virion." He turned to a green-haired archer. "This is Robin. He's going to help you with the strategy. Just put me at the forefront - I have some… frustration to vent."

"You mean you're not enjoying the party?" Robin joked.

Chrom glared at him.

Chuckling, Virion walked up to Robin. "It's nice to make your acquaintance. Let's get started."

"Right."

"I picked up this map of the castle on the way out of the barracks. We are right here." Virion pointed to the left side of the map. "We'll need to station men at this location to protect the Exalt, of course."

Chrom called out, "They're coming out into the open now! Prepare to fight!"

Everyone but Virion and Robin formed up.

"Gaius!" Robin called. "Come over here!"

The thief eagerly abandoned his post. "What do you need?"

"Is your leader here at the castle, or did he send you all off unguided?"

"He's here. A nasty dark mage, real tall and thin. Dark skin, too."

"Thanks, you can go back now," Robin dismissed.

"Virion spoke up. "He's an assassin?"

"Long story. Ask later," Robin reminded. "The leader will likely have three or four stronger soldiers guarding him, as well as a few archers. If we can take him out, we'd still have to deal with all the other assassins, but…"

"... But they wouldn't form a cooperative assault," Virion finished. "He'll likely be just inside the main gate. I fear those guards on watch will have already been dealt with. Regardless, we should send a party to confront him."

"I agree. Or better yet, three parties. The map shows three corridors leading West to the main gate, and there are likely assassins in each of them. With one team in each passage, they won't be able to avoid us, and they'll be forced to spread out."

Meanwhile, Chrom and Vaike did their best to keep up with the assassins who danced around them. Vaike, obviously, wasn't fond of dancing; he would certainly have been caught multiple times by a dagger had Chrom not stepped in and deflected it. Still, Chrom was only barely able to do so.

"I believe we ought to rework the teams," Virion suggested. He carefully shot an arrow between fellow Shepherds, hitting his target of the assassin confronting an green-armoured horse rider.

Robin nodded. "Speed will be invaluable in the matter of our advance teams, so the cavalry should be split evenly between them. But they'll be sitting ducks for archers, so mages should accompany them to protect them."

"We have but two mages," Virion stated simply.

"Damn. I'm stuck to this location since I have to carry him," Robin realized, readjusting the unconscious Marth over his shoulder. "What about that woman? She's new, right?"

"Yes, I believe so." He walked up to her and began to speak words inaudible to Robin over the clatter of the fight. After being slapped, Virion returned with the woman in tow.

"This is Panne. She says she is a Taguel."

"A 'Taguel'? What does that mean?"

"It means I transform."

"Ahh. Quick question, why haven't you been fighting with the others?" Robin wondered aloud.

"I require space, or else I would harm an ally," she explained.

"So you transform into something large? If you really need so much space, your other form must be larger than a horse, correct?" The gears in Robin's head began to turn. Metaphorically speaking.

"...Yes."

"Is it possible that you could carry us?" Robin wondered, referring to himself and Marth.

"I find the idea repulsive. But I owe a debt to the Exalt; let it be as you say. Then it will be considered repaid upon tonight's victory," she agreed. "But never request this of me again."

"Of course. Thank you, Panne." Addressing Virion, he directed, "Send your cavalry and your mages down the northern corridors. Panne and I will take the southern."

Virion nodded. "I thought us partners. Still, I see no flaw in your plan as of yet. I'll do as you say."

"Also, station Lon'qu and the knight where the southern hall meets this one. You, Gaius, and Vaike take the northernmost intersection, and leave the others here."

"It will be done." Virion then began shouting orders, and the Shepherds followed them without hesitation.

"Now are you ready?" Robin asked Panne.

"As ready as one can be when she is to be ridden like a beast," she deadpanned. "Though, I doubt the beasts feel any differently." Panne then transformed into a giant rabbit.

"That certainly wasn't what I was expecting," Robin admitted.

"Get on."

Hoisting Marth onto Panne's back, he climbed up quickly and directed her to the southern hall. There, Lon'qu was already making quick work of the assassins.

"I could have sworn I stationed somebody here to help Lon'qu fight…" Robin muttered. Raising his voice, he spoke to Panne. "Just run straight as fast as you can. I'll deflect any arrows and take out any assassins who don't get out of your way."

She nodded in agreement. After a short moment, her speed increased tremendously.

Sure enough, an arrow came flying at the trio. Robin cast a wind spell, knocking it aside. Again, an archer sent an arrow. Robin blew it away and shot a fireball at the perpetrator. Further down the corridor, another archer did the same; Robin treated him no differently. Then, as predicted, a dagger-wielding thief stood in the center of the hall, refusing to move and daring the Taguel to ram into him. Robin let out a bolt of thunder magic, charring him.

"We're almost there," Robin said as he disposed of yet another archer. "I'm drained, and I assume you are as well."

Panne remained silent, her agreement implied.

"I should still be able to wield my sword just fine, though," Robin remembered, anticipating the confrontation with the lead assassin.

The pair came to a halt where the hall opened up into a courtyard. Robin dismounted. A little ways down, two cavaliers, two mages, and a mounted knight were already making their way toward him. He removed Marth from Panne's back and waited patiently while the Shepherds gathered near.

"I'm sort of the 'acting tactician' tonight," Robin started.

"Lord Chrom informed us," Frederick said, begrudgingly. "I'll follow your command because he instructed me to do so."

"That will be good enough. And the rest of you?"

The others shrugged. Frederick's consent was apparently enough for them.

"Good. There may be archers out there, so I'll exit first. I need you two to follow me," he said to the cavaliers. "The rest of you, wait at the guards' entry. Only come out once you hear us engage. Then, use your magic on the soldiers that are fighting us at the main doors. Got it?"

"Got it," the younger mage confirmed.

"Frederick, just focus on protecting them." Robin motioned toward the mages.

"You know my name?" Frederick asked suspiciously.

"I've heard of you," Robin waved off. "Now let's go."

He slowly approached the main doors. Cavaliers in tow, he eased open said doors. Before even seeing through, Robin shot a wind spell. An arrow clattered to the side. Rushing out before the archer could retrieve another, Robin took aim with a fire spell, knocking him off the wall.

Immediately, the archer stationed further down the wall turned his attention from guards' entry and fired at Robin, who was thankful he wasn't dealing with a whole artillery unit as he dealt with his opponent accordingly. The arrow hit the ground beside the cavaliers, who'd passed Robin and were already engaging two enemy mounts. Robin took out the archer with another fire spell as the Shepherds' mages blasted thunder spells at the enemies as instructed, leaving the mounted Shepherds free of opponents. The third and final enemy mount now left his commander's side, but he was easily taken out in a joint effort. That left just the commander, who just stood there, unfazed.

"Fools. All of you," he whispered crisply. "All of you will bow to Grima!" He shouted now, and then he cackled.

"This guy's a nut," the redheaded cavalier remarked.

"It's fate. It's already been written, and you cannot stop it," he continued. "Even with that unknown character." He pointed at Marth in disgust.

"Him?" Robin asked. "What do you know about Marth?"

The dark mage sighed. "What part of 'unknown' don't you get, boy? But it doesn't matter. I'll take you all on; I have fate on my side."

"We'll see about that," Robin replied.

Removing his sword from his belt, Robin approached the foe alone. He charged, swinging his sword down with his whole weight in the style of Chrom. The man held out his hands, dark magic somehow preventing the blade from moving closer, as though the purple haze were solid.

"Ok, I can play your game," Robin challenged.

He spun around his opponent, once again meeting dark magic as the sorcerer turned around as well. he then began preparing a wind spell.

"That weak spell won't kill me," the mage claimed.

"It's not meant to kill you."

The man suddenly scowled, finding a sword protruding from his heart, stabbed in the back by the brown-haired cavalier.

"It's meant to distract you," Robin finished.

"B-but this is not possible! This isn't how tonight was written!" The man sunk low and vanished under his cloak.

"That was most underwhelming," the older mage observed.

"I'll say. But I guess this wasn't supposed to be a direct confrontation," Robin reasoned. "Just a quick assassination."

"That doesn't make it any less boring," the red-haired cavalier responded.

"I only pray that Lord Chrom has had as easy a time," Frederick worried.

"Aww, quit your worrying; he'll be fine."

And then the endless bickering ensued as though the battle had never occurred. Robin couldn't help but wonder how anyone ever got through to them except through war. It didn't matter, though; they were an exceptional militia.

* * *

Robin snuck away quietly after the confrontation, which admittedly felt too easy. It was sort of unsettling, how simple it had been to take out the sorcerer. Nevertheless, he was anxious to check in on Marth and hopefully waken him. It had appeared as though a concussion was the only damage done, but Robin wasn't so sure anymore. Now that he thought about it, the events leading up to Marth's unconsciousness bore far too much resemblance to the tournament at Regna Ferox, when he'd injured Chrom; that injury had not been easily dealt with, if Robin recalled correctly.

He set his companion on one of the beds in the room, exhausted from the long walk back from the palace to the inn. The first thing Robin noticed was that things were as he feared; there was damage to Marth's face from whatever had transpired; it almost seemed like a burn mark. He cursed at himself, blaming himself for letting it happen, but then gathering himself.

Drawing in a deep breath, he put his thoughts behind him. He had to take care of Marth's injury. Careful not to put too much pressure on Marth's face, Robin took hold and removed the mask from across his face.

* * *

 **Hello again. Sorry for taking so long to update. Anyway, I thought you all should know that I have a new beta. Previously, gokart48 was helping me out. As many of you know, he has become busy recently, so he isn't able to lend his services anymore. He _did_ help me out with most of this chapter, but he had to quit part of the way through. Now I have a new beta, Samswimmer. He and gokart48 have different strengths, so you may notice some differences starting in this chapter. With any luck, my writing will continue to be just as good as it has been. (Also, for those of you who are familiar with _The Legend of Zelda_ or _Kingdom Hearts_ , you should check out Samswimmer's works. And as always, if you haven't read gokart48's stories, you really should go check them out.)**

 **Now, about the chapter. It was a pretty long one. I was going to split it into two chapters and post them both right away. There were two reason's I didn't. The first is that not much happened in the first half of the chapter. The second is that, while this chapter was pretty long, I like each of my chapters to be at least 3000 words. Each half would have been about 2800. Anyway, I hope these 5600 words were good ones. This is the part where I respond to _your_ words:**

 **...**

 **Elasmotherium:** In the game, gerome was the one who gave her the mask... But perhaps you made the change intentionally.

 **Me:** I did change that intentionally. I decided I could make it more important by having Robin give it to her.

 **Elasmotherium:** Hopefully she won't keep calling him uncle, though

 **Me:** No worries. She will just call him Robin. My intention is to treat the people of each timeline as being different people (Lucina is different from Lucia, for example). The characters might not always see it that way, but that's because of their own personalities. But the characters _are_ capable of being wrong, so they might mix things up sometimes.

 **...**

 **Victory3114:** Why would she need Robin to be absent on the night of the assassination?

 **Me:** Robin is getting to her. He's trying to convince her to be less cold and distant, and she realizes it's working (slightly). But she doesn't want to grow close. She _also_ doesn't want to trust him. She's trying to prove to herself that she's not growing attached to anyone. Why doesn't she want to get attached? She lost her parents at a young age, and the only other person she was _really_ close to was Cynthia. And we all know what happened to Cynthia... just kidding. We don't know that yet.

 **...**

 **chaosalien:** Does this mean that you also have a set number of chapters for this story? How many can we expect?

 **Me:** I don't know exactly how many yet. It will probably be around 35. No more than 40, unless I get carried away. Definitely at least 28, including the prologue and epilogue. Also, I'm going to go back and move last chapter's A/N's to the end.

 **...**

 **Finally, I'd like to thank Dane Namor for his review. It was very helpful, to say the least. It was very long, though, so I won't respond here (I already responded via PM). If any of you would like to know about what he had to say, just PM me. I will send you my response to him. Anyway, thanks again for your patience, and I'll do my best to make the best story I'm capable of.**


	8. Revelation

**I'd like to start out by saying that this chapter is not referencing Fates. This just happened to be the best title for the chapter.**

* * *

Revelation

" _Lucina, you can't do everything, you know."_

" _Severa. You… what do you mean?"_

" _You can't lead every mission we send out. You'll run yourself dry," she furthered._

" _I have to. I need to know what happens first hand. It's the only way I can guarantee I have a good read on each situation we come to."_

" _You have Cynthia, and you have me. In fact, you have a whole bunch of us that would be more than willing to help out. Don't you trust us to do what you ask?"_

" _It's not that I don't trust you. I just can't afford to let miscommunication or inattentiveness or anything else keep me from grasping reality."_

" _Seems like you don't trust us to take this seriously."_

" _I said I_ do _trust you. It's not that."_

" _Trust isn't just respecting others and having a common goal, you know. It's about depending on each other. You have to_ trust _that we'll do what we say we will."_

" _... When you put it that way, then I guess you're right. I want to trust you, sure. But I shouldn't. If I trust others with my responsibilities, I can't guarantee they'll be fulfilled."_

" _Look. I know you don't want to take the chance. If you allow others to help, something might go wrong. Something_ might _go wrong. But I've seen the way you look around camp: tired, worried, and pretty much depressed. If you_ don't _trust others, something_ will _go wrong. You'll collapse one of these days, or worse."_

" _You're not usually so concerned, Severa."_

" _I know. Do you think I'd be wasting my time with this if I didn't think it was important? I have better things to do than sit around patting your head. I'm just going to say it outright. You may not like trusting people, but sometimes you don't have a choice. You can't save the world by yourself. So just throw away your stupid pride and let someone help."_

" _I… I don't know what to say."_

" _Please don't. I can hardly believe I said all that to begin with. I can only handle so much sappiness, after all."_

" _Fine. I'll figure it out. Just give me some time."_

* * *

Even before opening her eyes, Lucina noticed three things. First and foremost, she felt an ache around her left eye. It didn't hurt much, but it also wasn't pleasant. The second thing she noticed was an image that burned into that same eye: a poisonous violet symbol representing Grima himself. The image felt like the remnants of a nightmare. Despite the sinister nature of the symbol, it wasn't unexpected by any means. What _really_ caught her attention was the slight breeze which fell cooly across her other eye. Once she had taken two seconds to process all of that, she opened her eyes and quietly demanded, "Where is my mask?"

"It's right by your hand," Robin answered from somewhere else in the room, "but you should leave it off so your eye can heal better."

"I'll be fine." Lucina sat up, and she became a bit light-headed.

"You'll be _more_ fine if you don't put it back on. Besides, there's nobody here who hasn't already seen your face."

"I… I suppose you have a point," she reluctantly agreed, her voice low and strained. The time-traveller slowly removed her hand from the mask. It felt almost dangerous to do so; that mask had become almost like armor to her.

"You shouldn't have taken my mask off in the first place," Lucina stated, frustration evident in her voice.

" _I_ agreed not to ask questions, and _you_ agreed not to leave me behind. Letting your wounds fester was _not_ part of the deal, Robin remarked sardonically. "Although you don't even seem to remember that deal, anyway."

"... I couldn't take you with me. It was too dangerous," Lucina argued hollowly.

" _I'll_ say. You would have died if I hadn't followed you in."

"That's not what I meant."

"And what _did_ you mean?"

"I can't tell you."

"That's fine. Keep me in the dark as long as you want, and I won't ask questions,"Robin decided. "Because unlike you, I keep my word. … It's all I have."

A wave of guilt came over Lucina ten seconds too late. She just couldn't keep her promises, no matter how hard she tried. She shouldn't have expected that to change just because she came to the past. Of course, she was mad at herself. She didn't want to keep down the path she had set for herself, but… could she afford not to? If she were to reveal herself, even to this one man, it could cause irreparable damage.

Since Lucina had remained quiet, Robin spoke up once again. "So you can either keep doing what you've been doing, or you can trust me. It's your choice, but the decision needs to be made now."

"I…," Lucina tried. She _wanted_ to trust him, but _could_ she? He was extremely helpful, and he _had_ saved her life on more than one occasion. But there was still a chance he was putting on an act. The chances were slim, but… _If he really is faking everything, then trusting him would almost certainly doom this world, just like mine. I can't allow that,_ she thought. _I've decided._

' _You may not like trusting people, but sometimes you don't have a choice. You can't save the world by yourself.'_

Lucina sighed. _Severa…, I'll trust him. But only because I trust you._

"Alright," she agreed. "I won't hide from this any longer."

Robin let out his breath sharply. "Then please, use your normal voice. Disguising it is pointless now, and I'm sure your voice is strained.

"Somehow, it's not," Lucina denied, relieved to be speaking naturally again. "And actually, I think we're ready to head out."

"You're still recovering."

"It's just a little eye pain. Besides, it's not like I need it to walk," she countered. "Let's go. I'll explain everything once we're out of the city."

* * *

"Suddenly, the mythic _Owain Dark_ was surrounded by dozens - nay, thousands - of hellish beasts whose sole purpose was to bring low the people's last hero. Faced with seemingly inescapable defeat, he called upon the gods to lend him their strength, crying 'Great Awakening!' Slowly the creatures approached, none daring to face the mighty hero alone, but knowing their numbers were enough to overwhelm him. Finally, as they closed to within an arm's length of him, the Divine Dragon, Naga, answered his prayer by providing him escape to the distant past, a staggering twenty or so years. Saved from a grueling death, but tasked with the defeat of Grima himself, Owain Dark set out on his new quest, vanquishing each and every one of the monsters who dared follow him into the strange world of old."

"You mean you ran, since there were a hundred of them, and only one of you," Severa corrected, rolling her eyes. "I was _there_ , moron."

"This is a tale for the ages! It must be retold, that no one could ever forget the plight of Owain Dark!"

"I swear, Owain, if you don't shut up about your 'epic adventures,' I'm going to end them myself."

"..."

"That's better."

"... And so it was that Severa the Cynical, charged with defending humanity's last hope, was separated from the legendary princess, only to be united with her rival in heroism, Owain Dark. Indebted to him after he had once rescued her from death's grasp, she repaid her due by-"

"Shut up, Owain!" Severa whispered. "I'm serious." She gestured forward into the night. "I think that's a Plegian camp."

"This far into Ylisse? That would mean the war's already started."

"I know. The assassination must be soon, if it hasn't already happened."

"We should engage them," Owain declared.

"Are you an idiot? Don't answer that."

"Then what do you propose we do?"

"We need to get some supplies."

"Then we head for Ylisstol, right?"

"Wrong. We steal what we need from the Plegians. Well, _I_ do that - it's in my blood, after all. _You_ , on the other hand, will probably just attract attention. Stay here."

"But what am I supposed to do until you get back," Owain complained.

"I don't know. 'Regale your misadventures,' or whatever."

"... Fine. Just hurry back."

Severa left without a word, approaching the enemy camp under the cover of the few trees scattered throughout the field. As she grew closer, she began to identify individual soldiers moving about camp. She estimated there to be nearly two hundred, which offered a great opportunity to blend in.

Once she determined she could enter camp unnoticed, she began wandering the tents, peeking inside as quietly as she could, and moving on. About eight tents in, Severa stumbled upon a soldier who had not yet fallen asleep. The man jumped to his feet.

" 'Ave we been spotted?" He began approaching his armor in anticipation for a battle.

"No, sorry," Severa replied, whispering in her best Plegian accent. "I jus' got off watch, an' I thought this was me tent. Tha's all."

"Kind o' like meself. Can't tell me left from me right in the dark."

Severa sighed quietly, relieved her act had worked. "We both should ge' some sleep," she finished, exiting the tent. _That was close_.

After a few more tries, she finally found a supply tent. Completing the scene was a pair of soldiers arguing. _Just my luck_. Upon further listening, it became clear they were arguing over a small bottle of wine.

Severa cleared her throat loudly. "I can't imagine how you two got in 'ere withou' bein' noticed."

The Plegians grew silent for a brief moment, before the one on the left regained his bearings. "An' I s'pose yer gonna repor' this to the general, huh? Perhaps ye'd rather join us…" he offered hopefully. "We'll even let'cha 'ave the wine." The man held the bottle towards her.

"Please," Severa mocked, making her way toward the back of the tent. She motioned for them to follow. Approaching a small, metal box, she removed a pin from her pocket. She fiddled with the lock for a moment before popping off the lid. "The captain's personal stache. 'Ave at it."

"Without hesitation, each man was practically drowning in alcohol. As they grew drunk, Severa took the opportunity to pack as much food and water as possible. Within minutes, she had as much as she could carry.

She snuck out of camp just as easily as she had snuck in. Unfortunately, it took her several more minutes to find Owain in the darkness. The only reason she didn't take any longer was that he was very loudly reliving his heroic life.

"Owain, I'm back."

He jumped a little, startled. "Oh, good. I was getting bored."

"I doubt that. But anyway, I have food that should last us until we reach Ylisstol. Plus the Plegians still haven't been found yet. They probably will stay camped out right where they are in order to avoid detection. With any luck, we'll make it to Ylisstol before the Exalt's assassination."

"How do you know it hasn't happened yet?"

"I _don't_ know; not for sure, anyway. But I can't think of any other reason the Plegians would be hiding out. Besides, even if I'm wrong, it's not going to hurt us to stop by Ylisstol," Severa explained.

"So… we're just hoping for the best?"

"Well, I don't really have any better ideas. And I'm guessing you don't either."

"... No, I don't," Owain admitted.

"Alright then. Let's give the Plegians a wide berth. We need to get out of sight before morning hits. Once we've done that, we can set up camp."

"A spectacular plan!" Owain exclaimed.

"Ugh… why do you insist on monologuing?"

"Oh, that reminds me: having repaid her debt to the mysterious yet vigilant Owain Dark, Severa the Cynical made to part ways. The heroine then discovered something quite alarming…"

* * *

"I believe we've come sufficiently far out of town," 'Marth' decided. "Ask what you must."

"How did you know about the plot to kill the Exalt?" Robin started. It seemed like as good a place as any.

"... I've seen the future."

"I know, you said that to Chrom last night. But that's not what I meant. How do you know the future?"

"I'm… _from_ the future," she clarified, hesitantly.

"Huh," Robin pondered. "And here I was thinking you were some distant cousin of his…"

"-Wait, you thought what?"

It all made sense now, Robin was sure. "I thought you were Chrom's long lost cousin or something. But you being from the future really explains a lot. Like how you know Chrom so well, but he doesn't recognize you in the slightest."

Their fighting styles were remarkably similar, not to mention how much alike they looked. It also helped that the birthmark the two shared belonged only to Ylisse's royal house. And to think, Robin wouldn't have even known if he hadn't spent so many days restoring his book on fighting techniques just to read the page about Aether. Robin might consider it luck, but it really was _bad_ luck in the first place that the page was nearly ruined.

"How are you taking this so easily? I've just told you I came from the future, and you're acting as though that's normal."

"If there's one thing I've learned from being an amnesiac, it's that there's always something I don't expect. I can't afford to let myself get surprised at every little thing."

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that.

"When I first woke up, all the things were just so foreign to me. I hadn't given a thought to how things work. Naturally, I didn't spend a moment being surprised that there was grass, and I doubt you would have either. I just realized it was there and walked. Instead of being surprised I just accepted it. So when you told me you were from the future, I didn't waste my time being surprised. I just accepted it."

"That's… very practical," she responded.

"That's kind of the point. But if you don't mind, I do have another question or two to ask you. I'll be honest, this is going to sound pretty blunt, but I have no idea how to ask delicately."

"Very well, then."

"How did your parents die?" And there it was. Robin couldn't un-ask the question.

She sighed. "They died to the Fell Dragon, mankind's destructor."

"So you came back to kill him?" Robin concluded.

"No. Grima cannot be killed. I have come to prevent his return."

" 'Prevent his return' ? Where is he returning from?" Robin wondered aloud.

"He's ages deep in slumber, but his followers plan to revive him. Once they do, all peoples will be condemned to death, or else live in fear of dying."

"Then I can only assume the Exalt - your aunt, I guess - is important to stopping this world-ending catastrophe."

"She didn't deserve to die, and my father isn't prepared to be Exalt yet. But these, I suppose, aren't good enough reasons to meddle with the past. But the enemy aimed to steal the Fire Emblem last night. Without it, they can't revive Grima."

"First of all, I can't keep calling you Marth. What's your real name?"

"My name?"

"The one your parents gave you. Use it."

She sighed. "My name is Lucina."

"Alright then, Lucina. If your aunt didn't deserve to die, why isn't that reason enough to save her?"

"I was given the mission to save this world by the Divine Dragon herself. I wasn't sent to pick who lives and who dies. I saved the Exalt not because she was a good person or because I care for her; I saved her because doing so would help complete my mission to save the world."

"I'm not so sure I share your point of view, but I guess now's not a good time to argue," Robin decided. "It _is_ a good time to discuss our next move, though."

"I suppose you're right."

* * *

"Wait, let me get this straight. The plan is to get your friends together and then sit around for three years?" Robin was stunned. "And here I was determined not to be surprised."

"That's not what I said."

"Oh, that's right. We don't even know where your friends _are_."

"I'm beginning to regret filling you in on everything."

"It seems you're stuck with me, though."

"Maybe you don't see training as productive, but we don't really have any other option."

"Because you don't want to change things any more than you have to."

"I told you my plans because I thought I could trust you," she remarked.

"You _can_ trust me. You're my only friend, and I don't plan on turning my back on you," Robin defended. "But that doesn't mean I won't try to change your mind when I disagree with you."

"Fine. We'll deal with that later. It seems we've got more pressing matters," Lucina noticed, gesturing forward. "I know that smoke…. The Risen."

"What happened to not interfering?"

"These Risen came from the future. They're not supposed to be around until much later."

"So we agree on something, then," Robin confirmed. "These _things_ have to go."

* * *

The mindless Fell-spawn scoured the plain ahead, reeking of the strangely alluring stench of evil. Clearly, this called for action by none other than the mysterious Owain Dark. The hero unsheathed his blade of legend, Mystletainn, and stealthily began his approach.

"Owain, what are you doing?!" Severa the cynical whispered sharply.

"I'm confronting our dastardly foes, of course," he explained. Perhaps she hadn't seen them yet.

"They outnumber us twenty-to-one. We just don't have the strength."

"They may be numerous, but forget not that we are heroes of legend; we have the strength of a thousand souls each!"

"I don't know about you but I find it hard to fight on three hours' sleep."

"But you insisted on keeping watch. I told you we didn't need to keep watch, but I figured you'd have the sense to rest up."

"We were only a mile and a half from a Plegian camp!"

"They do call you 'Severa the Cynical' for a reason, you know."

" _They_ don't call me that. You're the only one who's ever called me that," she refuted. "Besides, whether or not you wanted to keep watch, I'm still too worn out. If we're forced into battle, so be it. But we're _not_ throwing ourselves into a battle with just the two of us!"

"Fine, fine. Let's go." Owain proceeded to move toward the Risen.

"Seriously, Owain?!"

"You said we couldn't with just the two of us. Lucky for us, there's already someone else out there." This time, Owain didn't wait to hear Severa's response. This was his only chance to save the day, after all.

It was hard to tell exactly what was going on through the smoke and Risen, but there was some sort of conflict. He knew the only way to see for sure was to fight his way in.

The Risen were so focused on their first attacker that they failed to notice Owain and Severa at first. As for Owain himself, he struck with devastating force and lightning-quick movements. His enemies were slain with a single slash each, back, forth, back, and then a jab to the neck. It was truly a sight to behold.

Severa complemented Owain's prowess by moving in on the few that had the good sense to stay out of Owain's path. She may have appeared to be a poor swordswoman, but she fought side-by-side with Owain Dark. It was only natural for even the greatest of warriors to seem inferior in the presence of his overwhelming might.

Finally, the Risen thinned out, and Owain could just make out their fellow swordsman. Who could it be? None other than his dear cousin, the beautiful and ruthless Princess of Ylisse herself! What a stunning turn of events!

"Lucina, I've come! And I've brought Severa with me!" he called out, removing Mystletainn from a hazy corpse.

"Owain?"

"That's right," he confirmed. Suddenly, he noticed the presence of a stranger. The stranger seamlessly protected Lucina's flanks with well-timed wind spells and the occasional swing of his sword. "You've gained a comrade?"

"I have. But let's talk about this after these Risen are dealt with," she requested.

"Of course." Owain and Severa instinctively moved outward to attack the Risen from opposite sides. The monsters noticed them at this point, and they each were confronted directly. However, it allowed both to put in their full effort, as they didn't worry about wounding one another. Meanwhile, Lucina's new companion closed in and left everything to his blade. It took only seconds for them to successfully vanquish the devilish creatures.

As he heroically returned Mystletainn to it's sheath, Owain realized that, unfortunately, he wasn't going to learn of this stranger's identity just yet - no, no. They had to recover from battle, first. Of course it wouldn't take long, only a short minute or two. Those seconds would feel like eternity, though, as the suspense built. There was a word for this. They called it a cliffhanger.

* * *

 **Coincidentally, the two newly introduced characters happen to both be in Fates. But as I said, that's just a coincidence that they're in this chapter.**

 **Anyway, I'm back from the depths, or whatever they say. I've been trying out this new thing called college, and it's actually been pretty fantastic. I've also been using the word 'fantastic' more often now, so I may accidentally use it in this story more often. I hope not, though, because it's a speech pattern of mine that doesn't really fit any of the Awakening characters, and it would be redundant to use in the narrative, since this is literally a fantasy world. But enough semantics.**

 **I'll be honest, this chapter was a bit of an iffy one for me. It's the first one I've done without gokart48's help, and it was pretty strange to begin with. Robin and Lucina can't immediately hit it off just because Lucina revealed her identity, but there's also been a lack of positive relations for Lucina. I'm hoping that Owain and Severa can help with that. And I may have totally missed the mark with that whole reveal scene, but I'm not the best judge of my own writing.**

 **My other big concern, though, was that Severa was OoC. I know she's supposed to be super cynical, and I managed to get some of that out there in the scenes with just her and Owain, but I didn't want to throw her jealous act at Lucina with all that's been going on. Usually her sincere side takes a while to show itself, but I took the liberty of speeding that along to give Lucina a more familiar and supporting friend. And then, I hope I painted that thieving scene realistically. Rest assured, though, I'll try to keep her interactions with Owain and Robin more classic-Severa complete with sarcasm and criticism. Just be sure to let me know how I can improve. Reviews are much appreciated with regard to any subject that's relevant to the story, or my writing style, or whatever.**

 **And then there's Owain. Enough said.**

 **Finally, I'd like to respond to the few reviews that I've received since the last chapter:**

 **...**

 **To Daraen-Dragmire, Han-Ko, and Antex-The Legendary Zoroark, and everyone who's post reviews of encouragement in previous chapters: Thank you, and I look forward to continuing, despite my turtle-pace.  
**

 **...**

 **Manny Siliezar:** "You have Basilio using 'her' instead of 'him'..."

 **Me:** Thanks for pointing this out to me. I'm going to go fix that after posting this chapter, because it actually makes an important difference there. And because, even if it wasn't important, I'm still a grammar freak who's also blind to his own mistakes.

 **Manny Siliezar:** "... does that mean you'll introduce the children shepherds earlier than the game does?"

 **Me:** Nope. Especially not Severa and Owain. All jokes aside, this little group will stay separate from the shepherds for a while. They will join up eventually, but when and where... well, we'll find out. _You_ will find out - believe it or not, I've actually done extensive planning to the point where I know the general events of each and every chapter up through the epilogue. I'm just apparently really slow at turning my ideas into chapters.

 **...**

 **Thanks again for reading, following, favoriting, and/or reviewing. Seriously, though. Do that last one; reviews are great. I don't know, yell at me for being an idiot or something, if you want. Have a fun day!  
**


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